Women's Tennis Set to Battle Queens in Food Lion SAC Tournament
The Mars Hill women’s tennis team will take part in the 2014 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Women’s Tennis tournament, which begins Wednesday.
MARS HILL, N.C. - The Mars Hill women's tennis team will take part in the 2014 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Women's Tennis tournament.
The Lions will take on third-seeded Queens at 10 a.m. at the Rock Hill Tennis Center. Mars Hill enters the tournament having won three of its last four matches, including a 5-4 victory over Lincoln Memorial on Friday to clinch the sixth and final tournament spot.
"Reaching the conference tournament is an accomplishment," said head coach John Hunter. "Our players have worked hard this season and the opportunity to win a conference title is a reward for their efforts. With the new additions to the league this year, we've had to work harder to get to this point."
Senior Tatiana Dualiby is 16-2 this season and 10-1 in South Atlantic Conference matches in number one singles, having won her last 12 matches in the top court. Dualiby was named an All-SAC First Team Singles member and was an All-SAC Second Team Doubles selection along with Lucy McLaurin. Dualiby and McLaurin are 13-5 in number one doubles this season, including an 8-4 victory over Newberry's regionally ranked duo of Susana Aguirre and Romina Adum on April 5.
Senior Anna Rickenbaker was named an All-SAC Honorable Mention selection after compiling a 13-4 record this season. Rickenbaker has won eight of her last nine singles matches, including a hard-fought 3-6, 6-0, 6-2 victory over Priscilla Bulandres of Lincoln Memorial on Friday
Freshman Jade Henke won the deciding match to get Mars Hill in the SAC Tournament. Henke outlasted Roksolana Prudyvus 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 to win number four singles. Henke was also an All-SAC Honorable Mention selection.
Queens defeated Mars Hill 7-2 in their regular season meeting on February 23. The winner of Wednesday's match will face No. 2 seed Tusculum on Thursday at 9 a.m.