ROCK HILL, S.C. - Top-seeded Wingate claimed the 2013 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Women's Tennis Championship with a 5-3 victory past third-seeded Anderson, Saturday afternoon at the Rock Hill Tennis Center.
Anderson slipped to 13-6 on the season, while Wingate improved to 19-5 and earned the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The contest marked the second meeting between the two teams in the championship tilt in as many years, with the Bulldogs narrowly capturing their third consecutive tourney crown.
The Bulldogs claimed a 2-1 edge following doubles' action, as
Wingate's Tiffany Williams, the tournament MVP, and Helen Goreski
blanked AU's Lauren Trumbull and Alexandria Ebner, 8-0, at the No.
3 doubles' slot while the Trojan tandem of Camie Beaulieu-Brunet
and Lindsay Gregory evened the match at 1-1 with an identical 8-2
score at the No. 2 slot. Ali Evers and Becca Thomas gave the
Bulldogs the advantage heading into singles play.
Wingate's Morgan Winston gave the Bulldogs a 3-1 lead with a 6-1,
6-3 win at No. 3 singles, while Williams boosted Wingate's
advantage to 4-1 with a 6-3, 7-5 victory at the No. 4 flight.
Anderson nearly rallied from the 4-1 deficit, as Lauren Trumbull
took a straight-set, 6-3, 6-3 win at No. 6 six singles and AU's
Avery Owens claimed a hard-fought 7-6, 6-2 win at the No. 1 slot.
But Wingate's Kelli Ferguson clinched the team victory with a
three-set 6-3, 0-6, 6-3 win at No. 5.
