CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky. — WKU Tennis opened Saturday evening at Northern Kentucky by winning the doubles point, but the Norse claimed the first four singles matches that followed to defeat the Lady Toppers by a score of 4-1. WKU's record dropped to 1-4 on the season, while NKU started its campaign 1-0.
The No. 3 doubles pair of Tristen Bryant-Otake and Lauren Joch started the competition with a 6-1 win, then the No. 2 team of Laura Bernardos and Samantha Martinez clinched the doubles point with a 6-2 victory. It was the third time in the first five matches that the Lady Toppers won the opening point. Bernardos improved to 3-1 this season in doubles play, including a 2-1 mark with Martinez as her partner.
The Norse responded by claiming singles matches at the top four spots to win the dual by a score of 4-1. Lisa Friess at the No. 5 spot and Joch at No. 6 did not complete their matches.
"I can't say enough for the tremendous effort and how we competed; we are getting better each match," head coach Greg Davis said. "We fought very hard against what I think can be an NCAA Tournament team. Give NKU credit, they came out after we won the doubles point and won five of the first six sets in singles."
WKU's next competition will be at UT Chattanooga on Friday, Feb. 12 at Strang-Voges Tennis Center. The Mocs are 3-0 thus far, and will face Presbyterian in their fourth match on Sunday, Feb. 7. The Lady Toppers are 2-6 all-time against UT Chattanooga, but have won each of the past two matchups in 2016 and 2017. WKU and the Mocs were supposed to play in 2020 before the remainder of the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Final Results
Singles (Order of finish: 3,1,4,2)
1: Margita Sunjic (NKU) def. Cora-Lynn von Dungern (WKU) 6-3, 6-3
2: Maria Koo (NKU) def. Laura Bernardos (WKU) 6-2, 7-6 (7-5)
3: Elizabeth Rozin (NKU) def. Samantha Martinez (WKU) 6-1, 6-3
4: Ananya Kothakota (NKU) def. Tristen Bryant-Otake (WKU) 6-1, 6-4
5: Sylvia Gray (NKU) vs. Lisa Friess (WKU) 2-6, 7-6 (7-5), 3-2, unfinished
6: Hannah Watton (NKU) vs. Lauren Joch (WKU) 7-5, 6-6, unfinished
Doubles (Order of finish 3,2)
1: Friess/von Dungern (WKU) vs. Koo/Sunjic (NKU) 4-3, unfinished
2: Bernardos/Martinez (WKU) def. Rozin/Watton (NKU) 6-2
3: Bryant-Otake/Joch (WKU) def. Clark/Kothakota (NKU) 6-1
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