FARMVILLE, Va. – UNC Asheville's Hannah Francisco and Kylee Shipley came back from first set losses to take three-set wins and seal a 5-2 victory, spoiling the Longwood women's tennis home-opening match Sunday afternoon at the Hampden-Sydney Tennis Courts.

With the Bulldogs leading 3-2 and two matches heading into a decisive third set, Longwood needed both three-set matches from Jamie Breunig and Paloma Alatorre to grab the win in the home opener.

After Breunig had taken a dominant first set 6-0, Francisco stormed back with 6-3, 6-2 wins to complete the comeback and ultimately seal the road win for UNC Asheville at court one.

On court three, Alatorre took a 6-3 win in the first set before Shipley took 6-2, 6-4 wins in the second and third sets to close the match.

The Bulldogs got things going early with wins at courts one and two in doubles play from the tandems of Francisco/Shipley and Hunter Hall/Lauren Watson-Steele to take a 1-0 lead into singles competition.

Marija Venta and Mason Thomas paced the Lancers in singles play, picking up sweeps at the second and fourth court, giving Longwood a 2-1 lead. That lead was short-lived as the Bulldogs struck back with sweeps at five and six to regain a 3-2 lead, one they wouldn't surrender the rest of the way.

Longwood hits the road for their next two matches, both coming in the state of Maryland. The Lancers take on Navy at 2 p.m. Monday, then tangle with Towson at 3 p.m. Tuesday.

Asheville 5, Longwood 2
Mar 05, 2017 at Farmville, Va. (H-SC Tennis Courts)
 
Singles competition
1. FRANCISCO, Hannah (AVL) def. BREUNIG, Jamie (LWU) 0-6, 6-3, 6-2
2. VENTA, Marija (LWU) def. WATSON STEELE, L. (AVL) 6-1, 6-3
3. SHIPLEY, Kylee (AVL) def. ALATORRE, Paloma (LWU) 3-6, 6-2, 6-4
4. THOMAS, Mason (LWU) def. LOUW, Christin (AVL) 6-2, 6-0
5. SIDOR, Emily (AVL) def. BURGER, Fallon (LWU) 6-3, 6-2
6. DAVIDSEN, Amalie (AVL) def. PELAK, Anna (LWU) 6-2, 6-1
 
Doubles competition
1. FRANCISCO, Hannah/SHIPLEY, Kylee (AVL) def. BURGER, Fallon/VENTA, Marija (LWU) 6-3
2. WATSON STEELE, L./HALL, Hunter (AVL) def. ALATORRE, Paloma/BREUNIG, Jamie (LWU) 6-1
3. PELAK, Anna/THOMAS, Mason (LWU) def. LOUW, Christin/SIDOR, Emily (AVL) 6-4
 
Match Notes
Asheville 9-5
Longwood 1-6
 
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