Freshman Hayley Wild won a straight-set decision in the final match to clinch a 4-3 victory for the Morehead State women's tennis team over Western Kentucky on Friday (Feb. 28) at the EAGLE Center.
The Eagles improved to 3-6, while the Hilltoppers fell to 3-3.
The Eagles won both doubles matches played to grab a 1-0 lead and held a 3-1 advantage before the visitors tied it with two singles wins. Wild defeated Alex Crofford 7-5, 6-4 at No. 5 to seal the win.
"I am so proud of our team for persevering and pulling out a great win tonight," Head Coach Kevin Fulton said. "I was especially excited to see Hayley play like a seasoned veteran even though she is a freshman."
Wild also teamed with freshman Andrea LeBlanc for an 8-4 doubles win at No. 2 over Gabby Crofford and Carolina Barboza. The Eagles took the opening point when sophomores Briar Preston and Sandrine Beaule defeated Monta Reinfeld and Madeline Phillips 8-4 at No. 1.
"Briar and Andrea played very solid," Fulton said. "Both those players are strong right now at the top of our lineup."
Preston won her singles match at No. 1 versus Reinfeld, 6-4, 6-2. Preston improved to 12-3 in solo matches this season. LeBlanc topped Phillips, 6-0, 6-1 on court two.
Barboza rallied to oust Beaule, 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 at No. 3. In the fourth spot in the lineup, WKU's Emily Prystawski bested MSU sophomore Dominique-Chante Mclean, 6-4, 6-3. The Hilltoppers won at No. 6 by default.
"After a disappointing loss to Lipscomb last night in my opinion, this win will give us a lot of confidence, and that if we just focus on the little things that win matches, we can defeat anyone," Fulton said.
Morehead State travels to Indiana for a 4 p.m. match on Saturday (March 1). The Hoosiers are listed 53rd in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association Team Rankings.
