Saturday, 04/14/2012

Wingate, N.C. ----The number 29 Wingate University women’s tennis team concluded the regular season in style, earning an 8-1 victory over Coker College Saturday at WU Tennis Complex. The Bulldogs enter next week’s Food Lion South Atlantic Conference tournament 16-6 overall. Wingate won nine-of-nine home matches this season. The Conference Carolinas member Cobras are 8-11 overall.

Wingate swept the doubles, as sophomore Morgan Winston (Lawrenceville, Ga.) and junior Kelli Ferguson (Concord, N.C.) got things going with an 8-0 victory over Coker sophomore Faith Baxley (Mullins, S.C.) and junior Kim Surette (Newton, N.H.) at the number three doubles flight. The Bulldogs recorded an 8-6 triumph on court one and an 8-4 victory on court two.

Bulldog sophomore Olivia Poole (Boca Raton, Fla.) earned the deciding victory, claiming a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Cobra senior Stephanie Medley (Sumter, S.C.) at the number three singles flight. Two Wingate players earned 6-0, 6-0 victories: Winston over Baxley at number four singles and freshman Tiffany Williams (Cary, N.C.) over Surette at number six singles.

Wingate did not drop a set at the two through six singles flights. In the battle of the number one players, Coker senior Alyssa Blanchard (Irmo, S.C.) outlasted Wingate sophomore Ali Evers (Roswell, Ga.) 6-3, 1-6, 6-3. Earlier in the day, Evers and freshman Becca Thomas (Alpharetta, Ga.) defeated Blanchard and Medley 8-6 at the number one doubles flight.

Wingate enters the 2012 Food Lion SAC tournament as the defending champion. The Bulldogs are the number one seed for this year’s event. Wingate will face the four-five quarter-final match winner Friday morning at the Rock Hill Tennis Center. First serve is slated for 9 a.m. Coker concludes the 2012 regular season tomorrow, venturing to Belmont Abbey for a 1:30 p.m. match.

#29 Wingate 8, Coker 1
Apr 14, 2012 at Wingate, N.C. (WU Tennis Complex)

Singles competition

1. Alyssa Blanchard (COKER) def. Ali Evers (WU) 6-3, 1-6, 6-3
2. Becca Thomas (WU) def. Cora Berna (COKER) 6-2, 6-2
3. Olivia Poole (WU) def. Stephanie Medley (COKER) 6-2, 6-1
4. Morgan Winston (WU) def. Faith Baxley (COKER) 6-0, 6-0
5. Kelli Ferguson (WU) def. Kayla Meermans (COKER) 6-2, 6-3
6. Tiffany Williams (WU) def. Kim Surette (COKER) 6-0, 6-0

Doubles competition

1. Evers/Thomas (WU) def. Blanchard/Medley (COKER) 8-6
2. Poole/Williams (WU) def. Berna/Meermans (COKER) 8-4
3. Winston/Ferguson (WU) def. Baxley/Surette (COKER) 8-0

Match notes

Wingate 16-4 overall; Nat’l ranking #29; Regional ranking #6
Coker 8-11 overall
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (2,3,1,4,6,5)

T-4:29