ROCK HILL, S.C. – Facing off against perennial Big South power and top-seeded Winthrop for a second-straight season, the Longwood women's tennis team fell 4-0 in Big South quarterfinals action Thursday morning.
The loss ends a season that saw the Lancers make history with their second Big South tournament win in as many seasons. Wednesday's historic win also came in gut-check fashion as Longwood (9-11) found themselves down 3-0 and turned the match on its head with four-straight points to claim a 4-3 victory.
Despite having one of the youngest rosters in Division I – two sophomores and five freshmen – the Lancers upped their seven-win 2017 campaign with a nine-win 2018 season.
"Today was the end to a very long season," said second-year head coach
Maria Lopez. "It was a tough loss against a well-coached Winthrop team. We can all learn a lot from this year - the things that we did well and the changes we need to make individually and as a team to help this young team to continue to mature and grow."
In Thursday's quarterfinals loss, Winthrop (17-5) got things going early with a doubles point behind wins at the first two flights, then took the first three decisions in singles play on courts one, two and six – all in straight sets.
Winthrop moves on to the Big South semifinals Friday as they take on the winner of Charleston Southern and Presbyterian.
Longwood returns its entire roster as
Jamie Breunig and
Marija Venta – the two most veteran players – will enter their junior seasons while freshmen
Yulia Almiron,
Kaori Terunuma,
Tanja Skalda,
Julia Candiotto and
Crystal Nzewi all return for their sophomore seasons.
"We talked after the match about what we need to improve as a team," Lopez said. "They all understand the responsibility they have moving forward. I'm already looking forward to making some adjustments to the program to continue to make us better and stronger."
Big South Conference Tournament – Quarterfinals
#1 Winthrop 4, #9 Longwood 0
April 19, 2018 | Rock Hill, S.C.
Singles competition
1. PROCTOR, Lauren (WIN) def. ALMIRON, Yulia (LWUW) 6-0, 6-2
2. SOLOVEVA, Alisa (WIN) def. BREUNIG, Jamie (LWUW) 6-3, 6-0
3. KAUFFMAN, Megan (WIN) vs. VENTA, Marija (LWUW) 6-1, 4-1, unfinished
4. VAN ECK, Tayla (WIN) vs. TERUNUMA, Kaori (LWUW) 7-5, 3-2, unfinished
5. KELIC, Aida (WIN) vs. SKALDA, Tanja (LWUW) 6-3, 2-2, unfinished
6. BURNS, Ellie (WIN) def. CANDIOTTO, Julia (LWUW) 6-0, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. PROCTOR, Lauren/KAUFFMAN, Megan (WIN) def. VENTA, Marija/TERUNUMA, Kaori (LWUW) 6-0
2. SOLOVEVA, Alisa/VAN ECK, Tayla (WIN) def. ALMIRON, Yulia/BREUNIG, Jamie (LWUW) 6-1
3. KELIC, Aida/BURNS, Ellie (WIN) def. SKALDA, Tanja/CANDIOTTO, Julia (LWUW) 5-1
Match Notes
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (6,1,2)
Big South Championship Quarterfinals - Match 2
No. 1 seed Winthrop
No. 9 seed Longwood
T-1:35
#GoWood
