The Sweet Briar College tennis team continues their run in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC), having won the last six conference matches, including today's win over the Marlins of Virginia Wesleyan College, 5-4.

The Vixens, now 13-3 overall and 7-2 in the ODAC conference, pulled together across the line-up for the team win. The duo of senior Virginia Edahl (Charlotte, N.C.) and Moriah Burke ('13/Rockville, Md.) kept their win streak alive with a victory at the number one doubles position, winning 8-6.  This win gives them a 14-2 overall (8-1 ODAC) dual match record for the season, and puts their record as a doubles team at Sweet Briar College at 19 victories. 

Edahl has the individual record* for most doubles wins (20) in a single season at Sweet Briar.  In addition, with today's doubles win over VWC, Virginia Edahl has now achieved a career total of combined singles and doubles victories to reach 100; a singles win today would take her to 101 career wins!

The second and third doubles positions struggled with getting their games going, with both Vixen teams losing (scores listed below).

Going into the singles portion of the match, the Marlins had a 2-1 lead.  The Vixens knew they were going to be fighting for each court, and each player was prepared and ready to take them on.

Edahl swept through her first set against veteran player senior Imee Bautista, dominating with solid baseline play to win 6-1.  Bautista rallied in the second set, and had a 4-1 lead, giving her a little more confidence as she expended more energy with Edahl's demanding rally style of play.  A focused and fit Edahl had plenty more to give and she ticked off four straight games to take a 5-4 lead. Bautista fought hard for the 10^th game to make it 5-5. Sensing her opponents struggle for each point, Edahl continued her aggressive shot-making, combining winners and forcing errors from her opponent.  Edahl takes the second set, 7-5, and adds another victory to her name at 101.

Edahl's doubles partner Moriah Burke was making her presence known at the second singles position.  Burke dominated her VWC opponent and efficiently took the match, 6-1, and 6-1. 

While courts three, five, and six were still in battle, court four singles played by Glory Bowman ('13/Roanoke, Va.) also finished closely after Burke's match at two.  This one went to the Marlins, 6-2, 6-1.  The match score is now 3-3, with each remaining Vixen player deep into a second set or starting a third.  There was much more tennis and tension to be experienced.

Julia Green ('13/Vancouver, Wash.) had a solid lead of 5-1 in the first set.  Her opponent however had quite a bit of fight and rallied to come within a game of holding onto the set at 4-5.  Green put her game together to take the first set 6-4, and was attentive to keep the second set in her favor throughout.  Green takes the second set 6-2 and the court six singles point for the Vixens.  The Vixens now have four match points, the Marlins three, with court four and five singles now deep into their third sets. 

Vixen Krista Maldonado, a sophomore from Ennis, Texas (shown right) continues to impress with a solid all-court game and mental determination.  Maldonado wins the first set 6-3.  Her VWC opponent, a seasoned player in her last home match, senior Shannon Sabo holds on to stay in the match by winning the second set in a tie-breaker, 7-6 (1).  The third set continues to go back and forth, staying on-serve.

In the meantime, Sweet Briar junior Ebie Baker (Farmville, Va.) is in her third set as well.  Having lost the first set 7-5, she settled into her game and won the second set 6-4.  The spectators at the match, the majority being for Virginia Wesleyan, were all on edge as each match played out to the end. 

Almost simultaneously, the matches finish up.  Baker, digging deep for each shot, lost 7-5.  Match score 4-4.  Maldonado, having been on-serve for most of the match, finally gets the break and hold combination and wins the third set 7-5 to clinch the match win for the Vixens, 5-4.

The Sweet Briar team will compete at Christopher Newport University (#17 Atlantic-South Region) on Sunday at 12 noon.

*Sweet Briar recrods since NCAA limit on number of competitions.

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Tennis Match Results

Virginia Wesleyan vs Sweet Briar College

Apr 10, 2010 at Virginia Wesleyan

Sweet Briar College 5, Virginia Wesleyan 4

Singles competition

1. Virginia Edahl (SBCTN10) def. Imee Bautista (VWC) 6-1, 7-5
2. Moriah Burke (SBCTN10) def.  (VWC) 6-1, 6-1
3. Krista Maldonado (SBCTN10) def. Shannon Sabo (VWC) 6-3, 6-7 (7-1), 7-5
4. Ashtyn Alexander (VWC) def. Glory Bowman (SBCTN10) 6-2, 6-1
5. Veronica Tharp (VWC) def. Elizabeth Baker (SBCTN10) 7-5, 4-6, 7-5
6. Julia Green (SBCTN10) def. Bittner (VWC) 6-4, 6-2

 Doubles competition

1. Virginia Edahl/Moriah Burke (SBCTN10) def. Shannon Sabo/ (VWC) 8-6
2. Imee Bautista/Ashtyn Alexander (VWC) def. Elizabeth Baker/Sarah Manter (SBCTN10) 8-1
3. Veronica Tharp/Bittner (VWC) def. Ann Roach/Leslie Polaski (SBCTN10) 8-3

Sweet Briar College 13-3