JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The Lee University women's tennis team lost for the first time in the 2018 season by a 5-4 margin at Carson-Newman University Wednesday afternoon. The Lady Flames (2-1) carried a 2-1 advantage following doubles action, but the Lady Eagles (2-2) claimed four of the six singles matches to post the team win.
Francesca Tondi and Marta Garcia-Nieto opened the team scoring with an 8-4 win at No. 1 doubles against Jill Corsato and Abby Reis. Joanna Grzegrzolka and Ana Webber pushed Lee's lead to 2-0 with an 8-2 defeat of Hannah Price and Alisa Liashova.
Mallory Jackson and Ali Harris held off Laura Beth Hardesty and Carley Sickinger, 8-6, to win at No. 2 doubles and keep the Lady Flames from sweeping the doubles competition.
Sickinger earned a quick team point when her singles opponent retired due to injury. Carson-Newman pulled back to within a point with a 6-0, 6-1 win by Reis over Garcia-Nieto. Tondi put the Lady Flames within one of clinching the team victory with a three-set victory over Corsato. Tondi won the opening set 6-1, dropped the second set by the same margin and recorded a 6-0 shutout mark in the final set for the win.
Carson-Newman would win the bottom three singles slots to record the comeback win. Price was a 6-4, 6-4 winner over Grzegrzolka, while Liashova beat Hardesty 6-0 and 6-1.
The team match came down to the No. 6 singles match between Webber and C-N's Klara Vuckovic. Vuckovic won in straight sets by matching 6-2 marks to give the host team the win.
"Our doubles play was night and day better than yesterday," said Lee head coach Patric Hynes. "All three spots played great. Carson-Newman have a very even squad and, in the end, they were just a bit better today. I'm proud of everyone's effort. We scrapped hard and this match will help us get ready for conference play."
The Lady Flames return to Gulf South Conference action on Saturday. Lee welcomes Delta State University to the DeVos Tennis Center for a 10 a.m. match.
CARSON-NEWMAN 5, LEE UNIVERSTY 4
Singles competition
1. Francesca Tondi (LEE-W) def. Jill Corsato (C-N) 6-1, 1-6, 6-0
2. Abby Reis (C-N) def. Marta Garcia-Nieto (LEE-W) 6-0, 6-1
3. Carley Sickinger (LEE-W) def. Ali Harris (C-N) 1-0, retired
4. Hannah Price (C-N) def. Joanna Grzegrzolka (LEE-W) 6-4, 6-4
5. Alisa Liashova (C-N) def. Laura Beth Hardesty (LEE-W) 6-0, 6-1
6. Klara Vuckovic (C-N) def. Ana Webber (LEE-W) 6-2, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. Francesca Tondi/Marta Garcia-Nieto (LEE-W) def. Jill Corsato/Abby Reis (C-N) 8-4
2. Mallory Jackson/Ali Harris (C-N) def. Laura Beth Hardesty/Carley Sickinger (LEE-W) 8-6
3. Joanna Grzegrzolka/Ana Webber (LEE-W) def. Hannah Price/Alisa Liashova (C-N) 8-2
