Rome, Ga. – The Transylvania women's tennis team went the distance but came up a match short against the Moravian College Greyhounds, falling 5-4 in the first round of the 2021 NCAA Division III Women's Tennis Championships at Rome Tennis Center on Thursday night.
Seeking their first NCAA Tournament victory in program history, the Pioneers came out swinging against the Greyhounds, carving a 2-0 lead and an eventual 2-1 lead after doubles play. Moravian responded by capturing four of six singles wins, including a match-ending thriller in No. 1 singles as Emma Angle outlasted Transylvania junior Porsche Robinson 7-6 (7-4), 2-6, 7-5 in three sets.
One of the greatest seasons in Transylvania women's tennis program history concluded with a 9-2 overall record while Moravian improved to 11-0 on the season, advancing into the second round to face 2019 National Champion Wesleyan (Conn.) College tomorrow.
Making its first official NCAA Tournament appearance in nine years, the program picked up its first-ever NCAA match wins with solid victories at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles. Robinson and Jessica Burton defeated Emma Angle and Mary Angle, 8-1. Grace Gardner and Alyssa Igyarto powered to an 8-4 win in No. 2 doubles while the No. 3 doubles crew of Christina Duvall and Erin Biddle narrowly missed with an 8-6 defeat.
Shania Jones fell at No. 6 doubles, 6-3, 6-2 while Duvall was downed by Kristen Cassidy, 6-1, 6-1 in the No. 5 singles slot. Jessica Burton gave the Pioneers their third win of the day, cruising to a 6-1, 6-2 win over Mary Angle at No. 2 singles. Grace Gardner displayed her might with a victory at No. 3 singles to give the Pioneers a 4-3 lead over the Greyhounds, inching them closer to victory.
Igyarto battled against Cassady before falling 6-3, 6-3, ceding the stage to Robinson and Emma Angle in No. 1 singles. The only three-set singles match of the first-round contest was a classic as Robinson rallied from one set down to win handily, 6-2 in the second set. Robinson held a 5-4 lead before Angle gritted out three straight games to capture the decisive 7-5 win in the final set.
Over one year after they clinched a 2019 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament championship and an NCAA Tournament berth, the Pioneers repeated as HCAC tournament champions last Sunday and made their long-awaited NCAA Tournament appearance, the first under third-year head coach Bill Carey to signify a new era for Transylvania women's tennis.
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