The Emory University Women's Tennis team closed out the weekend at the Mercer Gridiron Classic racking up seven singles victories and three wins in doubles action on Sunday afternoon at the LeRoy Peddy Tennis Center on the campus of Mercer University.
In singles action, sophomore Daniela Lopez advanced to the championship of the B draw following a 6-3, 6-1 win over Alabama State's Gabriela Lackova but fell in the finals match 6-4, 6-3. In the D draw, senior Melissa Goodman defeated Florida Southern's Avery Hunter 6-4, 6-1 to reach the finals of the draw but dropped the championship match by a 6-3, 6-4 decision.
Freshman Emma Perelman captured two victories on Sunday, both by identical 6-0, 6-2 scores, to win the consolation bracket in the C draw. Junior Bridget Harding also was a consolation bracket winner in the A draw as she earned a pair of wins on Sunday, 7-6, 6-4 and 6-2, 6-1. Senior Michelle Satterfield had the seventh and final singles win for the Eagles on the afternoon as she won her lone match on Sunday 6-1, 6-2.
In doubles play, Emory went 3-0 in three exhibition matches with senior Katarina Su and Harding winning 6-1, Lopez and Satterfield teaming up for a 6-3 triumph and freshman Elaine Vernoff and senior Michelle DeMeo coming away with a 6-3 decision.
"This tournament was a great opportunity for the team to work on our match toughness," said Head Coach Amy Bryant. "It also gave us a few things to work on in the off season but I am pleased to see that everyone on the team has improved throughout the fall season and that our focus on doubles in practice paid off as two doubles teams made it into the finals of the top draw."
Harding and Su will be back in action later this week as the duo will represent the Eagles at the ITA Small College National Tournament held in Surprise, Arizona from Thursday, October 13th through Sunday, October 16th. Harding will compete in the singles competition before partnering with Su in the doubles tournament. The rest of the Emory Women's Tennis program will return to the courts when the spring season kicks off on February against Georgia Gwinnett College.