Women’s Tennis Outlasts Pfeiffer, Dominates LaGrange Friday

DEMOREST, Ga. – Piedmont women’s tennis opened its 2024-25 dual match slate with a pair of victories at home on Friday morning and evening against Pfeiffer and LaGrange.

The Lions outlasted the Falcons in a hard-fought 6-1 victory in the morning before dispatching the Panthers in 7-0 fashion to close the evening.

The win against the Falcons gave Piedmont Head Coach Trey Martin 115 for his career, making him the all-time winningest head coach in Piedmont women’s tennis history.

Match 1: Piedmont 6, Pfeiffer 1

To begin the day, the Lions were able to take the doubles point and added a doubles sweep for good measure. First, it was the No. 3 doubles team of Dannie Evans and Sarah Row that cruised to a 6-1 victory, leaving Piedmont needing just one of the two matches at No. 1 and No. 2 to take a 1-0 lead.

In a back-and-forth battle, the duo of freshman Caroline Morrison and sophomore Brooklyn Bolch were able to get a critical break at 5-4 to take the match and clinch the point.

With the 1-0 lead already secured, the No. 1 team of Alyssa McSpadden and Bri Laidman made sure the momentum stayed on the Lions’ side with a comeback win in a tiebreaker 7-6 (3).

You’re looking at a doubles sweep and a 1-0 lead going to singles 🧹🧹🧹 pic.twitter.com/ZjsMTJLjYp

— Piedmont Tennis (@PiedmontUTennis) September 20, 2024

The Falcons showed serious fight in singles action, winning three first sets in relatively quick fashion.

However, it was Piedmont that put the first points on the board, with Olivia Carpenter rolling to a 6-1, 6-3 win at No. 6 and McSpadden cruising to a 6-2, 6-2 triumph to make it 3-0 Lions.

Moments later, Jordan Ballard won a demanding first set in a tiebreaker at No. 3, flipping momentum squarely to the Lions.

Then, after a Pfeiffer win in a third-set breaker at No. 4,  Laidman fought back at No. 2 after dropping the first set to win the second and then won a grinding tiebreaker 10-8 to earn the clinch for Piedmont.

With the match in hand, Ballard won 7-6 (4), 6-3 at No. 3 before Evans won a second set tiebreaker and then a marathon match tiebreaker 15-13 to end the match on a high note for Piedmont.

Match 2: Piedmont 7, LaGrange 0

With several lines defaulting due to the number of athletes competing for the Panthers, Piedmont rolled to a 7-0 win over LaGrange in the evening slot.

The Lions picked up the doubles win taking a default at three for starters and securing a 6-2 win at No. 1 and a 6-0 win at No. 2.

The duo of Hollan Rabensdorf and Jordan Ballard got the job done swiftly at No. 1 while it was Abby Gayle Moody and Amanda Allenbach handling business at No. 2.

It was a quick clinch as the No. 4 singles match was played on the remaining open court giving Kameron London the clinch with a 6-0, 6-1 win.

The Lions saw Drea Robinson earn an 8-5 win at No. 1 singles (due to time constraints) while Sarah Sanabia went 6-0, 6-1 at No. 2 and Amanda Barrett earned a 6-0, 6-0 win at No. 3.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
— With the first win of the day, Piedmont’s Trey Martin secured his 115th win as head coach of the women’s tennis program, becoming the winningest coach in program history.