Due West, SC – Erskine suffered their first loss of the 2012 season dropping a 7-2 decision to Gardner-Webb University, a NCAA Division I school, in non-conference women’s tennis action this afternoon at the Erskine Tennis Courts.

In doubles play, Tessa Rheault (Levis, Quebec, Canada, Ecole Pointe Levy) and Mika Goyette (Brossard, Quebec, Ecole Secondaire De Mortagne) scored an upset over Alice Hopkins and Yasmin Doost winning 9-8 (7-4 in the tie-breaker) at the #1 doubles spot.  Corin Hallman (Mt. Pleasant, SC, Wando High School) and Victoria Stephens (Cumming, GA, South Forsyth High School) played well at #2 but lost the match 8-5.  GWU’s Erica White and Tavenner Black won the #3 doubles to give the Runnin’ Bulldogs a 2-1 advantage.   On a scoring note, at the NCAA Division II level, each doubles match counts as a single point.  At the Division I level, the three doubles matches count as a single point.  The team winning at least two of three matches earns the point.

Stephens won the Fleet’s other point at the #5 singles position easily beating Tavenner Black 6-3 and 6-1.  Hallman split her first two sets against Erica White at the #1 singles slot but lost the match in the tie-breaker 10-6.  Gardner-Webb won the other four single matches in straight sets.

Erskine faces another tough opponent tomorrow.  Erskine travels to Florence, South Carolina, to play Francis Marion University.  FMU won their only match of the season, a 9-0 victory over fellow Conference Carolinas member Mount Olive College.  FMU was scheduled to play Queens University on Saturday but the match was cancelled due to rain.  Match time is set for 2:00 p.m.

Box Score