By Joshua J. Darling, Sports Information Director
LAGRANGE, Ga. – LaGrange (0-2, 0-1 CCS) women's tennis opened the spring portion of the season as they dropped a 7-2 decision at home to Huntingdon (1-0, 1-0 CCS) and fell 9-0 at Oglethorpe (1-0, 0-0 SAA) in a pair of NCAA Division III women's tennis matches on Friday, February 17 and Saturday, February 18.
HUNTINGDON 7, LAGRANGE 2
The Panthers would open with a 1-0 advantage as the Hawks could not field the No. 3 doubles position, resulting in a forfeit. Huntingdon would rebound quickly as Katelyn Morris and Erin Boutwell notched an 8-3 decision at No. 2 over junior Journey Oden (Boaz, Ala.) and Olivia Dusterdieck to knot things up before narrowly claiming the top spot.
In that one, seniors Hannah Miller (Jacksonville, Fla.) and Kirsten Boyd (Alabaster, Ala.) gave Alonda Weaver and Meredith Head all they could handle before falling 8-6 to put HC up 2-1. It would be knotted up at the start of singles, however, as the Hawks also couldn't field the No. 6 position.
Huntingdon would make short work of the first three singles to claim the match though as Morris defeated senior Karson Troth (Marshall, Mo.) 6-1, 6-1 at No. 3 and Madison Parker posted a 6-0, 6-3 decision over Oden at the four spot. Weaver then clinched the victory with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Boyd at No. 2 before the Panthers came back with the days two most competitive matches.
Miller challenged Head at the top spot, taking the opening set 6-3 before falling by a narrow 7-5 margin and 10-5 in the tiebreaker while Dusterdieck fell 6-3 in the opener and posted a 7-6 decision in the second set. She would also fall 10-5 in the deciding set to reach the final margin of 7-2.
OGLETHORPE 9, LAGRANGE 0
LC would not be so fortunate as they traveled to Oglethorpe on Saturday, February 18, however, as the Stormy Petrels notched a pair of 8-0 decisions in doubles play and Alexis Salgueiro and Maddie Nolen defeated the tandem of Oden and Dusterdieck 8-3 for the sweep. OU would then deliver identical 6-0, 6-0 decisions at the No. 1 and No. 3 positions to decide the match and eventually polish off the 9-0 victory.
The Panthers are now off for a week before hitting the road to take on Mississippi University for Women on Saturday, February 25. First serve is set for 12 p.m. in Columbus, Mississippi.
HUNTINGDON 7, LAGRANGE 2
Doubles
1. Alonda Weaver/Meredith Head (HC) def. Hannah Miller/Kirsten Boyd (LC) 8-6
2. Katelyn Morris/Erin Boutwell (HC) def. Journey Oden/Olivia Dusterdieck (LC) 8-3
3. Nina Fischer/Karson Troth (LC) def. No player/No player (HC), by forfeit
Order of Finish: 3,2,1
Singles
1. Meredith Head (HC) def. Hannah Miller (LC) 3-6, 7-5, 10-5
2. Alonda Weaver (HC) def. Kirsten Boyd (LC) 6-1, 6-2
3. Katelyn Morris (HC) def. Karson Troth (LC) 6-1, 6-1
4. Madison Parker (HC) def. Journey Oden (LC) 6-0, 6-3
5. Erin Boutwell (HC) def. Olivia Dusterdieck (LC) 6-3, 6-7, 10-5
6. Abigail Fuller (LC) def. No player (HC), by forfeit
Order of Finish: 6,3,4,2,1,5
OGLETHORPE 9, LAGRANGE 0
Doubles
1. Izzy Forster/Sydney Dattilo (OU) def. Hannah Miller/Kirsten Boyd (LC) 8-0
2. Alexis Salgueiro/Maddie Nolen (OU) def. Journey Oden/Olivia Dusterdieck (LC) 8-3
3. Brianna Ali/Taylor Glover (OU) def. Nina Fischer/Karson Troth (LC) 8-0
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2
Singles
1. Izzy Forster (OU) def. Hannah Miller (LC) 6-0, 6-0
2. Sydney Dattilo (OU) def. Kirsten Boyd (LC) 6-2, 6-0
3. Brianna Ali (OU) def. Karson Troth (LC) 6-0, 6-0
4. Alexis Salgueiro (OU) def. Journey Oden (LC) 6-0, 6-1
5. Maddie Nolen (OU) def. Olivia Dusterdieck (LC) 6-1, 6-0
6. Taylor Glover (OU) def. Abigail Fuller (LC) 6-0, 6-0
Order of Finish: 1,3,2,5,6,4
