Nationally-ranked Nighthawks await in Eagles first road test
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – With hopes of finally getting a match in after facing a week without competition due to precipitation-filled forecasts, the Carson-Newman women’s tennis team with travel to Dahlonega, Ga. for a Sunday afternoon meeting with region foe No. 24 North Georgia.
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – With hopes of finally getting a match in after facing a week without competition due to precipitation-filled forecasts, the Carson-Newman women's tennis team with travel to Dahlonega, Ga. for a Sunday afternoon meeting with region foe No. 22 North Georgia.
The Eagles (0-1) have not played against outside competition since their 5-4 loss to Young Harris back on Feb. 6. Head coach Jean Love's team was only able to snag one doubles victory that afternoon as the No. 2 duo of Jill Corsato-Owsianka (Germany) and Abby Reis (Des Moines, IA.) took an 8-3 advantage over Elin Rundcrantz and Beth Taylor.
In singles play, C-N kept the match within reach, holding a 4-4 tie heading into the final match. The No. 3 faceoff of Corsato-Owsianka and Laura Sanchez entered into a third set tiebreaker that went all the way to an 18-16, giving the Mountain Lions the final win to solidify their victory.
With multiple days of rest and preparation under their belts, the Eagles now prepare for their first ranked opponent of the season in North Georgia.
"North Georgia poses a huge challenge," Love said. "If we show up and play up to our capabilities, then we can challenge North Georgia."
The Nighthawks (3-0) have yet to see a blemish show up on their record in 2018 after a 6-3 win over Emmanuel to open the season followed by dominating victories over Belmont Abbey and Brenau.
UNG will make a stop in Greenville, Tenn. to face off against Tusculum on Saturday afternoon before hosting C-N on Sunday afternoon.
Thirteenth-year head coach Kent Norsworthy's squad has just one senior in Felicia Baratta who is 2-1 to start the season. A season ago, Baratta and now-junior Holly Bennett were the top-ranked doubles team in the Southeast Region while also being same the seventh-ranked doubles team in the nation per the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. Baratta was also a 49th-ranked singles player, nationally, while being No. 9 in the region.
With five freshmen on the team, Adrienne Bofinger has already made a splash as a leader in the youthful group, going 3-0 to start her career.
UNG opened the season at No. 22 in the ITA preseason ranking, the highest in program history.
The Nighthawks had a successful 2017 campaign as the team racked up a 20-7 overall record, 8-4 in Peach Belt Conference competition. They entered the PBC Championships as the fourth-seed, losing to Francis Marion in the first round, 5-1, before defeating USC Aiken in a 5-3 back draw victory. UNG faced Francis Marion once again in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional where the Nighthawks were swept, 5-0.
The last time the two teams met was last season when the Nighthawks took a 7-2 win over C-N. This season's preseason All-South Atlantic Conference doubles second team tandem of Alisa Liashova (Ukraine) and Klara Vuckovic (Germany) picked up the only doubles victory for the Eagles on the day with an 8-6 win over Holly Bennett and Emma Etelalahti at the No. 2 spot.
The only other win the Eagles could garner in that matchup was at the No. 6 singles position as Sydney Ledington (Corbin, Ky.) notched an 8-5 victory over Etelalahti.
Carson-Newman has never been able to best UNG in any of their seven meetings this decade.
Sunday's match is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. at the UNG Tennis Complex at Yahoola Creek.
