WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The William and Mary women's tennis team continued it's impressive start to the 2015 campaign with a 4-3 road win at No. 61 Wake Forest on Friday night. The No. 74 Green and Gold captured the doubles point for the fourth straight match and then quickly won in straight sets at the top three singles positions to secure the victory. The Tribe won for the third straight time in improving to 4-1 on the season, while the Demon Deacons fell to 3-2.
The Tribe once again took the doubles point to start the match, using the combination of victories at No. 1 and No. 3 in taking a 1-0 lead. The freshman duo of
Olivia Thaler and
Maria Groener remained undefeated in doubles play, downing Xue Zhang and Karen Foreman, 6-4, at the third spot. The reigning CAA Team of the Week improved to 7-3 overall and 5-0 in dual-match competition.
Senior
Jeltje Loomans and junior
Leeza Nemchinov continued their dominant doubles play, claiming the top spot for the fourth straight match to clinch the point. The Tribe duo upended Wake Forest's Luisa Fernandez and Kasey Gardiner, 6-3, to improve to 10-2 overall. Fernandez and Gardiner were ranked No. 9 in the ITA Carolina Region following the fall season.
The Tribe wasted little time claiming the match with victories at the top three singles positions in straight sets. Loomans increased the lead to 2-0 with a 6-1, 7-5 win over Zhang at No. 2. The victory was her third straight as she improved to 11-3 overall and 4-1 in dual-match play.
Shortly after Loomans victory, Nemchinov extend the Tribe's advantage to 3-0 with a win at No. 1. After taking the opening set, 6-4, the Tribe junior won the final three games of the second set in downing Kimmy Guerin, 6-4. Nemchinov, who was named the CAA Player of the Week on Tuesday, upped her team-best singles ledger to 12-2, including a perfect 4-0 at No. 1, thanks to her fifth straight win. Guerin entered the match 3-0 at No. 1 for Wake Forest and 11-4 overall.
Sophomore
Mélanie Roy made it a clean sweep of the top three spots, clinching the Tribe triumph with her win at No. 3. The Tribe sophomore won a tight first set, 7-5, before rolling past Andrea Retolaza with an unblemished second set, 6-0. Roy ran her win streak to three matches, upping her mark to 7-6, including a 4-1 ledger in dual-match play.
The Tribe returns to the McCormack-Nagelsen Tennis Center on Sunday, Feb. 1, when it faces its second straight nationally ranked foe. W&M welcomes No. 63-ranked Maryland to Williamsburg for a 2 p.m. match. There will be FREE pizza and soda for fans on Sunday.
#74 William and Mary 4, #61 Wake Forest 3
Singles
No. 2 – #80
Jeltje Loomans (W&M) def. Xue Zhang (Wake Forest) – 6-1, 7-5
No. 3 –
Mélanie Roy (W&M) def. Andrea Retolaza (Wake Forest) – 7-5, 6-0
No. 4 – Luisa Fernandez (Wake Forest) def.
Olivia Thaler (W&M) – 6-3, 3-6, 10-6
No. 5 – Kasey Gardiner (Wake Forest) def.
Maria Groener (W&M) – 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (3)
No. 6 – Courtney Meredith (Wake Forest) def.
Cecily Wuenscher (W&M) – 7-6 (4), 7-5
Finishing Order: 2, 1, 3*, 4, 6, 5
Doubles
No. 1 – Nemchinov/Loomans (W&M) def. Fernandez/Gardiner (Wake Forest) – 6-3
No. 2 – Guerin/Retolaza (Wake Forest) def. Roy/Casselbury (W&M) – 6-3
No. 3 – Thaler/Groener (W&M) def. Zhang/Foreman (Wake Forest) – 6-4
Finishing Order: 3, 1*, 2
