CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Appalachian State University women's tennis (1-0) earned a thrilling 4-2 win over UNCW (0-1) in its first of three matches at the 2018 Duckworth Invitational hosted by Clemson.
The Mountaineers captured all three doubles matches to pick up the doubles tally while capturing three of four finished singles contests. App State got off to the strong start it needed, as it wouldn't pick up its first win until the fourth match last season.
"This was a great win for us to start the season," head coach
Blake Mosley said following the win. "We had the match tied at 2-2 and came up with the final two points to clinch it. The freshmen stepped up in their first match and the way we started the game was incredible with all three doubles partners playing together in a match for the first time. Everyone contributed in this victory, and I couldn't be more proud of how we won this match."
All three tandems would team up for the first time together in a spring match and clicked on all cylinders.
Melissa Machado and
Teodora Sevo was the first to finish with a convincing 6-0 triumph before
Emily Gaskins and
Sandra Anglesjö also notched a dominating 6-0 shutout, giving the Black and Gold the 1-0 edge.
María José Zacarias and
Heidi Swope clinched the 3-0 finish with a hard fought 7-6 (8-6) victory.
Going into singles, Machado gave App a 2-0 advantage defeating Muller-Hughes in straight sets, 7-5, 6-1, while Swope came back from a one-set deficit to force a third frame against her counterpart but fell 6-0, 5-7, 7-5. UNCW would tie up the match at 2-apiece when Straume won in straight sets, 6-1, 6-3 over Zacarias.
With the match tied, the Apps came through in the clutch in the final two matches. Sevo continued her solid day with a come-from-behind triumph as the No. 2 in the lineup against Fougner, 5-7, 7-6, 6-4.
Taylor Bygrave clinched the win for the Black and Gold with a sensational 6-3, 6-3 downing as the No.3 in the lineup.
