NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- With a 9-0 shutout over Southern Virginia on Friday afternoon, the 24th-ranked Christopher Newport women's tennis team closed the regular season with an 11-7 overall record and the #2 seed in the 2019 Capital Athletic Conference Women's Tennis Championships. The Captains finish the league schedule with a 6-1 record and will host the #7 seed, to be determined, on Saturday, April 27.
In Friday's regular season finale, the Captains were dominant against the Knights, who dropped to 13-3 overall and 3-2 in CAC action. Christopher Newport was 3-0 after doubles and cruised through singles for the sweep.
Earning two victories for CNU in Friday's match were
Johanna Ranta-aho,
Kara Ferner,
Olivia Reed, and
Ana Clara Borga. Ranta-aho paired with Ferner for an 8-1 win at No. 1 doubles and then went on to capture a 6-1, 6-0 victory at No. 1 singles over Rachel Neeleman. Ferner also won with ease in singles, dropping Lauren Morrison at No. 3 singles without surrendering a game (6-0, 6-0).
Reed competed with
Reagan Delp at No. 2 doubles and battled for an 8-4 win over Morrison and Rachel Christensen. She then went on to capture a 6-1, 6-1 win at No. 2 singles against Christensen for the Captains.
Finishing the doubles sweep was Borga with senior
Colette Gilbert, as the tandem secured an 8-5 victory against Morgan Blount and Alyssa Sewell. Borga also played Sewell in singles action, downing the Southern Virginia player at No. 5 singles, 6-2, 6-4.
Rounding out the shutout win for CNU were wins at No. 4 and No. 6 singles. Rookie
Alison Burgess won the former by rallying back after a first set loss. She picked up a 4-6, 6-2, 10-6 victory against Morgan Blount. At No. 6, sophomore
Sydney Sawyer downed LeeAnne Aldrich (6-0, 6-0) for the first dual victory of her career.
CNU will now wait for the remainder of the conference schedule to wrap up as postseason tournament seeding is decided across the league. CNU will host the first round of the 2019 CAC Championship on April 27 and the winning team will advance to the CAC Semifinals set for Wednesday, May 1.
