Shepherd University Athletics

SHEPHERD WOMEN PLACE THIRD

CHARLESTON, WV--The Shepherd University women's tennis team placed third over the weekend in the end-of-season West Virginia Conference women's tennis tournament.

The Rams were the third-seeded team in the single-elimination tournament. They defeated the No. 6 seed Concord in the first round but fell to the No.2 seed West Liberty in the semifinals. Dual matches in the tournament are played until one team reaches five wins in the best-of-9 match format.

"I think our women played with as much heart as I could have asked," said ninth-year coach Chris Stambaugh. "We struggled early with Concord and managed to get through without losing a match. Against West Liberty, we were so close to pulling out all three doubles matches; we got only one of them. Doubles was the key."

"West Liberty has some very strong singles players," added Stambaugh. "I felt we had a slight edge in doubles; or at least a window of opportunity. Had we won just a couple more games of doubles, I think we would have made it to the finals."

Instead, Shepherd only took one doubles match from the Hilltoppers, with Lindsay Davis and Erin Wells prevailing 8-4 at the number three slot. Both number one and number two doubles for the Rams lost 8-6.

West Liberty went on to the finals, only to be defeated by the No. 1 seed University of Charleston by a score of 5-3. It's the first WVIAC championship for the Golden Eagles since 1991. Charleston defeated the Rams during the regular season by a score of 7-2.

Tournament quarterfinal (doubles played first):

SHEPHERD 6 CONCORD 0

Singles

1. Daniel led Thomas 6-4, 3-3 (play suspended)

2. Scaggs (S) d. Keith 6-0, 6-1

3. Bickerton (S) d. Msiska 6-3, 6-2

4. Wells led Williams 6-1, 5-0 (play suspended)

5. Clarke led Kennedy 6-5 (play suspended)

6. Davis (S) d. Brittany Cook 6-1, 6-0

Doubles

1. Amanda Bickerton-Meredith Scaggs (S) d. Joanna Thomas-Nikki Keith 8-2

2. Jessi Clarke-Catherine Daniel (S) d. Chsengu Msiska-Melissa Williams 8-6

3. Danielle Cosenza-Laura Mancari (S) d. Ashley Kennedy-Megan Shelton 8-6

Tournament Semifinal:

WEST LIBERTY 5 SHEPHERD 1

Singles

1. Alcorn (WL) d. Daniel 6-3, 6-2

2. Burson (WL) d. Scaggs 6-2, 6-2

3. Mooney (WL) d. Bickerton 6-0, 6-1

4. Allison led Wells 5-2 (play suspended)

5. Howard led Clarke 6-4, 3-3 (play suspended)

6. (play suspended)

Doubles

1. Heather Alcorn-Brandy Mooney (WL) d. Bickerton-Scaggs 8-6

2. Rachel Burson-Megan Cooey (WL) d. Clarke-Daniel 8-6

3. Davis-Wells (S) d. Elizabeth Allison-Jill Howard 8-4