Saturday, 03/19/2011

Monroe, N.C.----Wingate University won the final four singles matches to pick up a 7-2 victory over Tusculum College in South Atlantic Conference women’s tennis action Friday afternoon at the Monroe High School tennis facility.

The Bulldogs (13-1 overall, 4-0 SAC) are ranked 39th nationally and seventh in the region. The Pioneers fell to 7-4 overall and 1-1 in the SAC with the loss. Wingate hosts Carson-Newman College Saturday for its inaugural Breast Cancer Awareness match at 12 noon. Tusculum visits Catawba College at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Wingate jumped to a 2-0 lead in doubles, as Kara Stasikelis and Kelli Ferguson teamed for an 8-5 win over Courtney Conley and Taylor Patterson at flight one. Ali Evers combined with All-SAC performer Samantha Alschlager for an 8-2 win at flight two over Kristen Keefer and Katie Hillis.

In singles, Wingate’s Morgan Winston defeated Megan Buckmaster 6-2, 6-1 to give the Bulldogs a 3-1 lead. Tusculum’s Patterson earned a straight-set win over Evers to cut the deficit to 3-2. Olivia Poole claimed a victory at flight four as Keefer retired in the first set trailing 2-5. Ferguson followed with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Blake Thompson at flight five to clinch the match for Wingate.

Stasikelis needed three sets to earn a 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 victory over Conley at flight one. Helen Goreski rounded out action with a 6-2, 7-5 victory over Hillis at flight six.

Tusculum claimed one victory in doubles, as Buckmaster and Thompson combined for a 9-7 win over Winston and Poole at the third flight.

(Special thanks to Tusculum College assistant SID Jim Miller for providing this match story.)

Tennis Match Results
Tusculum vs #39 Wingate
3/18/2011 at Monroe, N.C.
(Monroe HS tennis complex)

#39 Wingate 7, Tusculum 2

Singles competition
1. Kara Stasikelis (WIN) def. Courtney Conley (TC) 6-2, 3-6, 6-4
2. Taylor Patterson (TC) def. Ali Evers (WIN) 6-3, 6-1
3. Morgan Winston (WIN) def. Megan Buckmaster (TC) 6-2, 6-1
4. Olivia Poole (WIN) def. Kristen Keefer (TC) 5-2, retired
5. Kelli Ferguson (WIN) def. Blake Thompson (TC) 6-2, 6-3
6. Helen Goreski (WIN) def. Katie Hillis (TC) 6-2, 7-5

Doubles competition
1. Stasikelis/Ferguson (WIN) def. Conley/Patterson (TC) 8-5
2. Evers/Samantha Alschlager (WIN) def. Keefer/Hillis (TC) 8-2
3. Buckmaster/Thompson (TCW) def. Winston/Poole (WIN) 9-7

Match Notes:
Tusculum 7-4 all, 1-1 SAC
Wingate 13-1 all, 4-0 SAC; National ranking #39; Regional ranking #7
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (3,2,4,5,1,6)

Official: Jimmy Cunningham