The top-ranked Emory University women's tennis program is on the road this weekend with two matches against Division I opponents. The Eagles will take on Charleston Southern on Saturday starting at 2:00 PM before traveling to Coastal Carolina for a Sunday morning match beginning at 11:00 AM.
The Eagles are coming off their biggest win of the season, defeating the previously ranked #1 Williams College Ephs 5-4 on March 30th. Emory snapped a 13-match losing streak to Williams dating back to 2006 with the victory. The win vaulted the Eagles from the no. 4 position into the top spot in the latest ITA Nationally rankings for the first time this season. Emory will enter play this weekend on a season-best nine match winning streak and are 17-2 on the year.
The ITA also released their first regional rankings of the season with Emory checking in at the #1 spot in the Atlantic South region. Three Eagles occupy spots in the regional singles top-5 with sophomore Bridget Harding ranked third, junior Michelle Satterfield in fourth and freshman Taylor Cosme sitting in the fifth position. Cosme has won a team-best 10 consecutive matches along with senior Madison Gordon and owns a team-best 22-3 singles record. Harding is tied for second on the team with Gordon with 16 singles victories and is 16-5 overall meanwhile Satterfield is 13-5 during her junior season.
In the Atlantic South doubles regional rankings, sophomore Anna Fuhr and freshman Daniela Lopez check in as the Eagles top ranked duo at the no. 2 position while Harding and junior Katarina Su are ranked 10th. Fuhr and Lopez are 7-1 together this season whereas Harding and Su have won five straight matches and are 13-6 overall.
Charleston Southern is currently 11-4 and have won their last two against conference foes Liberty and Gardener-Webb and will face UNC-Asheville on Friday. The Buccaneers are led by no.1 singles player Nicolin Luecke who is 9-6 on the no.1 singles line. Sophie Cloessner owns a team-best 12-2 singles record and has won five straight matches on the no.2 singles court. In doubles, Luecke partners with Valeria Koussenkova to form CSU's top doubles team who are 7-2 during the season.
Coastal Carolina enters the weekend 16-5 overall and will square off against conference opponent Longwood on Friday before taking on the Eagles. The Chanticleers are paced in singles play with five players in their lineup who have won 15 singles matches a piece, led by no.1 singles player Libby Scott (15-5). Sara Bonder owns a team-best record of 15-3 and has won 13 matches in a row on both the no.5 and no.6 singles lines. Scott and Bondar also form Coastal Carolina's top doubles team with a 13-3 record all on the no.1 doubles court.
Results and a full recap will be posted to emoryathletics.com at the conclusion of play on both days.