Winston-Salem, N.C. - Playing its second road match against a nationally-ranked ACC foe in as many days, the No. 43 William and Mary women's tennis team dropped a 6-1 decision to No. 47 Wake Forest on Saturday afternoon at Leighton Stadium. One day after rolling to a 5-2 win at No. 46 Virginia Tech, the Tribe jumped out to the early lead over Wake Forest by claiming the doubles point on the strength of a national top-25 win by sophomore Anik Cepeda and freshman Hope Johnson . The momentum was short lived though as the Demon Deacons claimed all six singles bouts to record the team victory. W&M falls to 9-8 overall on the season, while Wake Forest improves to 6-6.

Like it did against Virginia Tech, the Tribe's No. 3 doubles team of senior Lauren Sabacinski and freshman Jeltje Loomans got the ball rolling for the Green and Gold. The tandem won for the fourth straight time in improving to 5-1 overall with an 8-3 victory over Brigita Bercyte and Anna Mydlowska to give the College the early advantage.

After the Demon Deacons pulled even with a win at the second doubles spot, the Tribe's top tandem of Cepeda and Johnson pulled off an impressive upset win to give the College the initial point of the match. The Green and Gold pair, which entered the week ranked No. 50 nationally, pulled out an 8-5 triumph over the No. 22-ranked Wake Forest team of Kayla Duncan and Kathryn Talbert. It marked the fourth win over a nationally ranked opponent this season, including the third against a top-25 foe, for Cepeda and Johnson, who tallied their ninth victory overall on the campaign.

The Demon Deacons rallied with its play in singles. Wake Forest won each of the six singles posts in straight sets to record the team victory.

W&M will return home to play three of its final four regular-season dual matches at the Millie West Tennis Facility. The College welcomes No. 36 Brown to Williamsburg for an 11 a.m. match on Sunday, March 27.

#47 Wake Forest 6, #43 William and Mary 1
Singles
No. 1 - #30 Martina Pavelec (WF) def. Hope Johnson (W&M) - 6-2, 6-3
No. 2 - Kathryn Talbert (WF) def. Marlen Mesgarzadeh (W&M) - 7-5, 1-0, retired
No. 3 - Emilee Malvehy (WF) def. Jeltje Loomans (W&M) - 6-3, 6-2
No. 4 - Kayla Duncan (WF) def. Anik Cepeda (W&M) - 6-3, 6-3
No. 5 - Ryann Cutillo (WF) def. Marivick Mamiit (W&M) - 6-2, 6-4
No. 6 - Brigita Bercyte (WF) def. Lauren Sabacinski (W&M) - 0-1, retired
Finishing Order: 1, 3, 5, 4*, 1, 6

Doubles
No. 1 - #50 Johnson/Cepeda (W&M) def. #22 Duncan/Talbert (WF) - 8-5
No. 2 - Malvehy/Pavelec (WF) def. Mesgarzadeh/Kargl (W&M) - 8-4
No. 3 - Loomans/Sabacinski (W&M) def.  Bercyte/Mydlowska (WF) - 8-3
Finishing Order: 3, 2, 1*