Davidson Drops Season-Opening Match in W. Tennis

Wednesday, January 21

Davidson, N.C.

3:00 p.m.

Davidson College Athletics

Winthrop

Davidson Drops Season-Opening Match in W. Tennis

1/22/2009 12:06:48 PM | Women's Tennis

Gavin McFarlin - Assistant SID

Match Results

DAVIDSON, N.C. – Opening its season for the third straight time against the Winthrop Eagles, Davidson dropped a 6-1 decision to start the 2009 women's tennis campaign on Wednesday evening at Knobloch Indoor Tennis Center.

The Wildcats had previously defeated the Eagles the last two years to open the season and carried a 15-3 all-time record against them, but Winthrop halted its three-match losing streak to Davidson on Wednesday.

Winthrop opened the match by taking all three doubles matches. The duo of junior Virginia Berry (Spartanburg, S.C.) and Alison Rauh (Trier, Germany) nearly picked up a win for the Wildcats, falling 8-7 to Sandra Herera and Lisa Wilkinson at the No. 2 spot.

In singles play, Davidson forced two three-setters, but were only able to capture one singles match with Lora Dushanova (Silven, Bulgaria) taking a 6-1, 6-4 decision at the No. 5 position for the Wildcats' lone point.

No. 1 player Michele Fanney (Virginia Beach, Va.) earned a win in her first set, but dropped the next two to Liza Zaytseva for one of Davidson's two three-set matches. Rauh also won her first set, only to drop the next two by the count of 6-4, 6-3 to Sara Abutonic at No. 3.

The Wildcats, who are coming off a 19-6 year in 2008 and return nine letterwinners, hit the courts again on Jan. 31 for a doubleheader with Gardner-Webb (10 a.m.) and South Carolina State (3 p.m.).