CHARLOTTE, N.C. – After facing heartbreak in their second SAC loss of the spring, no. 27 Carson-Newman women's tennis (14-4, 8-2 SAC) was looking to play spoiler for the no. 12 team in the nation, Queens (N.C.) on Saturday. As the Orange and Blue looked to hand the Royals their first loss of the spring, they would see a 4-3 result at the Levine Tennis Center fall in their favor.
C-N was looking for their second straight win over the Royals on Saturday, after pulling off a massive upset at home during the 2020-21 season. With the one-point victory, this is C-N's second win over the Royals in eight attempts, while also ending Queens' 11-match win streak to start the spring.
"Simply a massive win for the girls today. Queens was undefeated in their season so far, but there is a first time for everything," graduate coach Gabriel Dabdab said. "Just like last year, another big upset against the same team. But this time, it could even have been with a higher margin."
In doubles, it was once again the Orange and Blue taking two out of three matches to enter singles action with a 1-0 advantage.
The Eagles would see number three doubles consist of Violetta Khisamova (Yaroslavl, Russia) and Julia Speiser as the duo came out on top 6-4 Saturday. As the SAC season dwindles down, Khisamova/Speiser currently hold a 14-2 record in 2022 including 8-1 in the conference.
Then, in number two doubles, senior Ana Carla Resende (Minas Gerais, Brazil) and sophomore Summer Reeves would secure the doubles point for the Eagles after winning 6-3. The pairing moves to 12-3 overall and 8-1 in SAC play as well to match the team lead.
However, Hannah Price (Knoxville, Tenn.) and junior Natasha Forrest (Jersey, United Kingdom), would be the lone Eagles pairing to falter for the second straight match as they were bested 6-7 by the #37 DII pairing of Jill Morse/Marie Balanda. Now, Price/Forrest are 11-7 in 2022 competition while holding a mark of 6-4 in SAC.
Then, in singles action, it would be three Eagles claiming wins in order to help the Orange and Blue leave the Queen City with a massive upset.
Rebounding after her second conference loss of the spring, senior Ana Carla Resende was up against Viktoria Veselinova of QU. After facing a three-set match on Friday, Saturday would be a near perfect attempt by the Brazil native, coming out on top 6-1, 6-1.
Her win moves Resende to 13-4 overall in the spring, with a conference record of 7-2.
C-N would gather another crucial victory from junior Anita Chornei. For her 14th spring win, the Ukraine native looked in firm control as she would win 6-3, 6-4 over QU's Khramtsova. The win also moved Chornei further into a team lead with her eighth SAC win of 2022.
In number four singles, Hannah Price looked to prove her experience to pay off as she would go head-to-head with QU's Marie Balanda. After falling to her opposition in doubles, the Knoxville native responded with tenacity, winning 6-3, 2-6, 6-2. Now, Price is 12-6 overall in 2022 while being 7-3 against conference foes.
Price's win also is symbolic because it secured C-N their second straight victory over the Royals as well as giving the Orange and Blue their first win in Charlotte. Prior to Saturday, the closest C-N came to defeating Queens at home was in 2013-14 when they would lose 7-2.
Meanwhile, for only the second time this spring against SAC foes, Natasha Forrest would falter as she played in her usual number five position. After helping the Eagles gain a point against #19 Newberry, it would be a 7-6, 4-6, 3-6 loss which would fall upon the junior as she moves to 13-5 overall in 2022 and 8-2 in SAC.
The other two match results were Summer Reeves falling at number two singles by a final of 3-6, 6-3, 6-7 to #38 Jill Morse of the Royals and Violetta Khisamova seeing a 3-6, 2-56 loss at number three singles.
"Summer took it to the tiebreak of the third against a girl who has been doing very good, and Tash lost in the third to a girl who she has beaten in the past," Dabdab said. "Still a couple matches in regular season, but we are going strong into the tournament."
The Eagles remain on the road for a meeting with the Anderson Trojans on Wednesday. The two sides will see a first serve at 2:00 p.m. from the Anderson Tennis Complex.
Be sure to keep up with all things Carson-Newman women's tennis at cneagles.com and on all social media.
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