Jacket Women Pick Up Big Regional Win - West Virginia State University Athletics

West Virginia State University Athletics

    The WVSU women's tennis team found out last week that it had achieved the highest NCAA Atlantic Regional ranking in the program's history at #2.

    Then the Yellow Jackets had to hit the road and the court at Slippery Rock to defend that ranking against their #5 ranked host.

     Due to cold and snowy conditions the match was moved inside. After a long, difficult, battle the Jackets emerged with a 6-3 win.

     "Slippery Rock always plays well against us, especially on their own courts," WVSU Tennis Coach John Simms said. "Fortunately we were able to pull in front early and that took some of teh pressure off."

      The Yellow Jacket first doubles duo of sophomore Kierstin Hensley and senior Nina Dillwald won handily at first doubles by an 8-2 count.Juniors Laura Isbey and Kayla McKnight won a long game to go up 6-5 and then closed out an 8-5 win at second doubles. the freshman duo of Hanna Kontsavaya and Nika Tadic dropped an 8-6 decision at third doubles but WVSU stll had a 2-1 advantage going into singles play.

       Isbey, Hensley, and Dillwald rolled through the first three singles matches to make the score 5-1 and clinch the win. Konstavaya took a little longer at 34 singles but prevailed in three sets to make the score 6-1 before McKnight and Tadic fell in tight matches.

      WVSU improved to 14-5 on the year with all five losses coming against top 25 nationally ranked teams.

       The win sets up a showdown this Sunday between Indiana University - Pa. (IUP), ranked #1 in the Atlantic Region, and #2 WVSU. The match is scheduled for 11 a.m. in Institute.

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