CHATTANOOGA - The University of the South women's tennis team defeated Rhodes College in the championship match of the 2023 Southern Athletic Association (SAA) Women's Tennis Tournament, 5-0, Sunday morning from the Champions Club.
With the victory, the Tigers capture their ninth SAA Tournament Championship in as many seasons they have participated in, only missing the 2020 and 2021 seasons due to the pandemic.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final Score: No. 12 (1) Sewanee (17-5) 5, (2) Rhodes (13-7) 0
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HOW IT HAPPENED
-Taking the advantage early, the Tigers swept doubles play to take the commanding 3-0 lead.
Brooke Despriet/
Katherine Petty (17-4) knocked off Rhodes's top team, 8-2.
-After
Ansley Carpenter/
Natalia Nassar (12-4) earned their fifth straight win at the middle flight, No. 23
Emma Smith/
Nicole Nowak posted their 10th win at the No. 3 and 18th overall (18-4) on Sunday. Winning their ninth straight match, the duo posted an 8-1 result.
-In singles, Petty (10-4) and Nassar (12-3) clinched the match for the Purple and White. Petty posted a 6-1, 6-0 win at the No. 4, while Nassar had a 6-1, 6-2 result at the No. 6.
NINE-TIME CHAMPS
-With the victory, the Tigers secured the program's ninth SAA Tournament Championship and 15th in program history (1987-89-90-91-97-2007-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-22-23).
-Sewanee earns the automatic qualifier to the NCAA Championships for the 10th straight season and the 29th all-time.
SAA ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Below is the 2023 SAA Women's Tennis All-Tournament Team:
SINGLES RESULTS
1. #50
Emma Smith (SEW) vs. Lea Letourneau (RHODES) 6-0, 2-3, unfinished
2.
Ansley Carpenter (SEW) vs. Emily Holderness (RHODES) 6-1, 3-0, unfinished
3.
Brooke Despriet (SEW) vs. Esme Benjamin (RHODES) 6-3, 1-0, unfinished
4.
Katherine Petty (SEW) def. Emma McHale (RHODES) 6-1, 6-0
5.
Sarah Livingston (SEW) vs. Gracie Rask (RHODES) 6-2, 0-2, unfinished
6.
Natalia Nassar (SEW) def. Cami Lowry (RHODES) 6-1, 6-2
DOUBLES RESULTS
1. #1
Brooke Despriet/
Katherine Petty (SEW) def. Lea Letourneau/Cami Lowry (RHODES) 8-2
2.
Ansley Carpenter/
Natalia Nassar (SEW) def. Emma McHale/Gracie Rask (RHODES) 8-4
3. #23
Nicole Nowak/
Emma Smith (SEW) def. Esme Benjamin/Emily Holderness (RHODES) 8-1
UP NEXT
Sewanee will await their opponent in the 2023 NCAA Championships on Monday with the NCAA Selection Show for Division III Women's Tennis on Monday at noon ET / 11 a.m. CT on ncaa.com.
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