JMU Sinks UNCW 4-1 in Final CAA Road Match of Regular Season

Sunday, March 20

Wilmington, N.C.

2:30 p.m.

James Madison University

UNCW

JMU Sinks UNCW 4-1 in Final CAA Road Match of Regular Season

3/20/2016 10:23:00 PM | Women's Tennis

WILMINGTON, N.C. – James Madison women's tennis sank UNCW 4-1 in road Colonial Athletic Association action on Sunday afternoon, moving to 3-0 against CAA foes and upping the dual mark to 10-4 this spring.

The Dukes won the doubles point, going 2-0 against the Seahawks (5-6, 1-2 CAA) in paired action, before stretching their lead to 3-0 through the first two completed singles matches. UNCW earned its lone point of the afternoon at the No. 5 position before JMU clinched match point at No. 1 singles behind the strong play of junior Rachel Nelson.

Nelson secured the day's winning fourth point by dropping Madara Straume in straight sets (7-6(4), 6-3) in the line-up's top slot.

Sophomore Kimmy Herrock and freshman Emma Petersen each went 2-0 on the day, beginning with back-to-back doubles victories. Herrock teamed with junior Timea Guibe for the 6-1 win over Straume and Sabrina Barisano at No. 2 doubles, and Petersen partnered with fellow freshman Bella Heidenreich to defeat Alix Theodossiou and Hollie Champion 6-4 at No. 3 doubles to give JMU the 1-0 edge heading into singles play.

Petersen carried the momentum into her No. 4 singles contest against Laura Gomez, sweeping the Seahawk in straight 6-2 sets to give JMU a 2-0 lead. Sophomore Dylan Owens made it a 3-0 JMU advantage with a two-set win (6-3, 6-1) over Thai Thompson at No. 6 singles.

UNCW got on the board with a tightly contested two-set victory (7-5, 6-4) for Barisano over junior Rebecca Harris before Nelson put the Dukes over the top with her No. 1 singles win.

JMU returns to Harrisonburg for five straight home contests, beginning Friday, March 25, at 2:30 p.m. with Radford. It begins a three-match in four-day swing that includes George Washington (March 26) and CAA foe Delaware (March 29).

QUOTING HEAD COACH JAMES BRYCE
"Today was all about trusting our game at the critical moments. The doubles point gave us good momentum, which we carried into singles. The CAA is very tough this year, and for us to get two road wins against UNCW and CofC shows the improvement this team makes from match to match. Rachel Nelson showed great strength as a leader today and clinched versus a very good player. We will take a day off and get back to the court Tuesday as we prepare for our home opener."

FULL RESULTS
Doubles (2, 3*)

Abby Amos/Harris vs. Kharkevitch/Gomez 5-5 unf.
Guibe/Herrock def. Straume/Barisano 6-1
Petersen/Bella Heidenreich def. Theodossiou/Hollie Champion 6-4

Singles (4, 6, 5, 1*)

Rachel Nelson def. Madara Straume 7-6(4), 6-3
Timea Guibe vs. Christine Kharkevitch 1-6, 7-6(4), 0-0 unf.
Kimmy Herrock vs. Alix Theodossiou 7-5, 3-4 unf.
Emma Petersen def. Laura Gomez 6-2, 6-2
Sabrina Barisano def. Rebecca Harris 7-5, 6-4
Dylan Owens def. Thai Thompson 6-3, 6-1

UP NEXT
The Dukes open their home slate with Radford on Friday, March 25 with a 2:30 p.m. match at Hillside Courts. They play seven of their final eight matches of the regular season at home, including three against CAA foes.