The third-ranked Emory University women’s tennis team
earned a win over a NCAA Division I opponent on Thursday afternoon,
defeating Murray State University 7-2 at the Woodruff P.E.
Center.
With the win, Emory’s first this season in two tries against
a NCAA Division I opponent, the Eagles improved to 8-2 on the
campaign. Murray State dropped to 4-9 for the year with the
loss.
For the second-straight match and sixth time overall this spring
season, the Eagles swept all three doubles matches. Finishing
first was Emory’s second doubles team of junior Zahra
Dawson and sophomore Jordan Wylie, who
claimed an 8-4 win over the Racers’ Alexis Webb and Carla
Suga, improving to 2-0 together on the season. Also improving
to 2-0 were freshman Gabrielle Clark and senior
Lorne McManigle, who earned an 8-6 win over Ashley
Canty and Cassidy Cunitz in the first doubles match. Rounding
out the sweep were freshmen Brenna Kelly and
Malavika Padmanabhan, who won in a hard-fought
tiebreaker, 9-8 (7-4), over Lindsey Wiseman and Taylor Vick in the
third doubles contest. Padmanabhan and Kelly are now a
perfect 7-0 together this season.
Clark opened up singles play for Emory with a 6-2, 6-3 win over
Cunitz in first singles, improving to 13-4 on the season and giving
the Eagles a 4-0 lead in the match. Kelly, playing in the
sixth singles match, would clinch the victory shortly thereafter
for Emory, topping Murray State’s Ashley Pierson 6-3, 6-4 to
improve to 5-2 on the year.
Other singles results after the match was already decided include
McManigle’s 6-2, 7-5 loss to Ashley Canty in the second
singles match, Dawson’s 7-6 (7-2), 6-2 win in the third
singles contest, a 6-4, 7-5 loss for Padmanabhan to Webb in the
fourth singles match, and a 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) come-from-behind
win for Laura Callava in fifth singles.
The win was the eighth-consecutive victory for the Eagles, who have
not lost a match since February 13th.
Also occurring on Thursday was the release of the latest
Campbell/Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) College Tennis
Rankings. Emory remained ranked third in the Nation (behind
top-ranked Amherst and second-ranked Williams) and first in the
Atlantic South Region. In the individual rankings, Clark rose
to the top of the singles rankings in the region, while Wylie is
ranked third, McManigle eighth, and Dawson ninth. In the
doubles rankings, Clark and Wylie ranked as the region’s
third doubles pairing, while Dawson and McManigle are ranked
fifth.
Emory will return to action on Saturday against another NCAA
Division I opponent, as the Eagles will head to Spartanburg, SC to
face Wofford College at 3:00 PM.