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8th-ranked Brenau sends No. 11 Women's Tennis to first defeat
GAINESVILLE, Ga. -- The Shorter University
women's tennis team suffered its first loss of the season on
Wednesday afternoon in an 8-1 defeat at the hands of eighth-ranked
Brenau University in Gainesville.
The Lady Hawks, ranked 11th in the NAIA Top 25 Coaches' Poll, fall to 10-1 overall and 2-1 in the Southern States Athletic Conference East Division. Brenau improves to 7-6 overall and 4-1 in league play.
Shorter held late leads in two of the three doubles matches and put up a valiant effort in the singles competition, but ultimately came up short in what was a potential postseason matchup between two of the nation's premier women's tennis programs.
The tandem of Candice Laurent and Emma deBeaucoudrey led Brenau's Lyn See Cho and Hannah Thompson 6-5 at No. 1 doubles before the Golden Tigers' duo rallied for a 9-7 win. Shorter's No. 2 doubles team of Danielle Monteith and Nienke Van Staveren held a 7-4 lead in its match with Kate Mazackova and Liubov Orlova, but Brenau again fought back to claim a 9-7 win.
Shorter battled in singles action but could muster just one win out of the six matches.
deBeaucoudrey pulled out a hard fought 6-4, 3-6, 10-6 victory at No. 2 singles over Mazackova, but the Golden Tigers won out, getting wins at No. 3 and No. 4 singles by slim 6-4, 6-4 margins.
Shorter's women and men's team will be back in action on Saturday, April 16 when Georgia Perimeter College comes to the Walt Attaway Tennis Complex. The matches are set to begin at 1 p.m.
