Box Score March 22, 2006
Cullowhee, N.C. - Using four singles victories and one in doubles, the Western Carolina women's tennis team opened the on-campus Catamount Athletic Complex by defeating mountain rival, UNC Asheville 5-2 on Wednesday afternoon. The match, which had been rescheduled from late February, was Western's first-ever on the new courts.
Western took the early 1-0 lead when the sophomore duo of Trish Hanson and Mariona Trilla Jane defeated UNC Asheville's Rachel Rhoney and Mary Katherine Fitzgerald, 8-6, at number one doubles. At the second seed, WCU's Susanna Sjokvist and Holly Stocks trailed 7-4 before closing to within one point, 7-6, but the Bulldogs' pair of Lindsay Boykin and Whitney Abbott evened the match at one apiece with the 8-6 win.
In singles competition, Hanson defeated Asheville's Rhoney 6-0 and 6-2 to give Western a short-lived lead, 2-to-1. But UNCA (3-8) answered back as Whitney Abbott defeated Stocks, 6-3, 6-1, to knot the match back at two games a piece.
The Catamounts (3-10) would close things out, however, winning the final three singles bouts to secure the win with neither side contesting at the sixth seed. Freshman walk-on, Carley Abbott, earned her first career victory, defeating the Bulldogs' Isabel Carson in straight sets, 6-0, 6-0 at number five. After winning the first set, 7-6, Sjokvist closed out the number two battle with a 6-2 win. In the day's final battle, Trilla Jane fell behind early by dropping the first set, 6-4, but rallied with back-to-back 6-2 tallies to win at number three.
Western returns to action on Thursday afternoon, hosting rival Appalachian State in the Southern Conference home opener for the Catamounts. Match time is set for 2:30 pm at the Catamount Athletic Complex.
Western Carolina 5, UNC Asheville 2
Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - Cullowhee, N.C.
Doubles
1. Hanson/Trilla Jane (WCU) def. Rhoney/Fitzpatrick (UNCA) 8-2
2. Boykin/Abbott (UNCA) def. Sjokvist/Stocks (WCU) 8-6
3. Did not contest
Singles
1. Trish Hanson (WCU) def. Rachel Rhoney (UNCA) 6-0, 6-2
2. Susanna Sjokvist (WCU) def. Mary Catherine Fitzgerald (UNCA) 7-6, 6-2
3. Mariona Trilla Jane (WCU) def. Lindsay Boykin (UNCA) 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
4. Whitney Abbott (UNCA) def. Holly Stocks (WCU) 6-, 6-2
5. Carley Abbott (WCU) def. Isabel Carson (UNCA) 6-0, 6-0
6. Did not contest
Order of Finish:
Doubles: 1,2 (did not contest 3)
Singles: 1, 4, 5, 2, 3 (did not contest 6)
