Catamount Tennis falls to Davidson and Wofford

The Catamount Women’s Tennis team dropped its conference opener in Cullowhee against the Davidson Wildcats. The 72nd ranked Wildcats swept WCU 7-0 in the contest. Against Davidson, the Catamounts recorded their only victory of the afternoon at the No. 1 doubles division. The tandem of junior Trish Hanson and freshman Tessie Salame posted an 8-5 victory over the Wildcat duo of Kelsey Linville and Kim Whelan. The doubles victory would be the only bright light of the match for the Catamounts, though. The Wildcats allowed the Catamounts to win just 17 games overall and swept through five frames. However, in the first set of her game, Salame was able to force a tiebreak at the No. 2 position. She still fell to her opponent 7-6, 4-2, 6-3. In their second conference match against the Wofford Terriers, the Catamounts unfortunately lost once more. The Terriers got the best of the Catamounts as Western was defeated 4-3. The loss put the Catamounts at 0&2 in the Southern Conference and 4&7 overall. Salame and Hanson once again won their doubles match against the Terrier team of Merry Ellen Henry and McKenzie Carson. Wofford had to forfeit the number three spot in the doubles division. After falling behind 2-0 in the singles competition, the Terriers bounced back to defeat the Cats. The Catamounts got in front after the fourth seeded freshman Amanda Massey defeated Wofford’s McKenzie Carson. The Terriers also fell behind after having to forfeit the number six spot. The Terriers bounced back after falling 2-0. Their rally started at the number one spot. Trish Hanson was defeated by the Terriers top seed Merry Ellen Henry (6-0, 6-2). At the fifth spot, the Terriers Sabrina Smyers defeated Mariona Jane 6-0, 6-3. The Catamounts fell behind when third seeded Suzanna Sjokvist fell to Wofford’s Cayley Wetzig 6-4, 6-2. The Terriers iced the game when the second seeded Salame fell to Woffords Adrianne Hodges 6-1, 3-6, 6-3. Following two straight losses to open their conference season, the Catamounts returned to action when they hosted the UNC-G Spartans and Georgia Southern in the same weekend. The Catamounts will be looking for their first victory in the conference this season.