WILSON, N.C.-The Barton College women's tennis team opened up Conference Carolinas play with a 9-0 loss to preseason favorite Erskine College on Friday afternoon at the Barton Tennis Complex.
The No. 49 nationally ranked Flying Fleet improved to 5-1 on the season and remained perfect in league play at 4-0. Erskine, ranked ninth in the Southeast Region, has not lost a singles or doubles match in conference competition.
The Fleet jumped out to a 3-0 lead with 8-3, 8-1, and 8-4 wins in doubles play. Erskine completed the sweep winning five of its singles matches in straight sets.
Barton freshman Mika Deane (Auckland, New Zealand) almost pulled off an upset, taking Erskine's No. 1 to a super-set tiebreaker. Freshman Corin Hallman (Mount Pleasant, S.C.) survived the scare winning 6-1, 2-6, 10-7 to improve to 5-1 this spring.
Sophomore No. 2 Lindsey Frederick (Goldsboro, N.C.) had the tough task of competing against the Fleets lone undefeated singles player in senior Britton Bignon (Athens, Ga.). Frederick fought hard and led 4-3 in the second set but Bignon (6-0) closed out the 6-1, 6-4 victory by winning the final three games.
In other singles action sophomore No. 3 Abby O'Reilly (Acworth, Ga.) defeated junior Lindsay Toth (Sewickley, Pa.) 6-1, 6-1; sophomore No. 4 Victoria Stephens (Cumming, Ga.) downed senior Jaime Galasso (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 6-4, 6-1; freshman No. 5 April Horne (Columbia, S.C.) knocked off freshman Carol Fischer (Socorro, Brazil) 6-3, 6-2; and freshman Kathryn Sailors (St. Marys, Ga.) beat freshman Kristy Lievense (Wilson, N.C.).
The duo of Galasso and sophomore Francesca Del Pozo (Lima, Peru) gave Erskine the toughest time in doubles but the No. 3 pair of O'Reilly and Sailors eventually won 8-4.
Barton next host Conference Carolinas rival Converse College on Friday, March 4 at 1:30 p.m.
