SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – The Navy women's tennis team (23-9) saw its 2018-19 season come to a close on Saturday afternoon following a 4-2 loss to Army (21-7) in the semifinals of the Patriot League Tournament at the Central PA Tennis Center in South Williamsport, Pa.
Navy won the doubles point but could only get one victory in singles competition. The Midshipmen have now ended their season with losses to the Black Knights in back-to-back years.
"It goes without saying we are disappointed and dissatisfied with today's result," head coach
Keith Puryear stated. "But the fact of the matter is Army played better and deserved to win today. However, today cannot detract from what our team accomplished this year. We lost five starters from last year's team and this team, more than any I have coached, bonded together to achieve what was accomplished this season.
"Next year we will miss the leadership of our two seniors,
Catalina Rico and
Carlee Conway. They both have helped refine and strengthen our culture, the core of our program. We will now look to our returning players to continue the legacy that they have left with us."
The Midshipmen got off to a strong start against their service academy and won the doubles point. Army won the first doubles match at No. 2 with Sam DiMaio and Kirby Einck edging
Aimee Dervishian (Jr., Milton, Ga.) and
Annalise Klopfer (Fr., Palm Harbor, Fla.) in a 6-4 contest. However, Navy evened the race for the doubles point at No. 1 doubles after
Amanda Cyr (So., Cary, N.C.) and
Kaylah Hodge (Jr., Upper Marlboro, Md.) won a 6-2 match against Stephanie Dolehide and Caroline Vincent.
With the doubles point hanging in the balance, the freshmen pair of
Katreina Corpuz (Ewa Beach, Hawaii) and
Meghana Komarraju (Vienna, Va.) earned a 6-4 decision at No. 3 doubles over Paola Bou and Genevieve McCormick to clinch the doubles point for the Midshipmen.
Shifting into singles competition, Army took the momentum right from the get-go after Dolehide won 6-0, 6-1 at No. 4 singles against Komarraju. Klopfer regained the lead for Navy, 2-1, at the third-seeded singles match after sweeping Vincent, 6-2, 6-4. However, the Midshipmen could not regain the momentum from the win at No. 3 and dropped the final three singles matches.
At No. 5 singles, Corpuz suffered a 6-3, 6-2 loss to Bou and then at No. 1,
Ansofi Wreder (Jr., Miami, Fla.) lost to Ana Joyner, 6-3, 6-4. With Army leading 3-2, Einck clinched the match for the Black Knights at No. 2 singles after beating Hodge in three sets, 7-5, 1-6, 6-2.
In the final match left on the court,
Kacey Moore's (Fr., Wellington, Fla.) match went unfinished but she was leading 6-3, 4-6, 5-3 at No. 6 singles against McCormick when Army won the dual, 4-2.
The loss ends the season for the Midshipmen and they complete the season with a record of 23-9. The 23 wins are third-most in program history and Navy has won 20 matches in back-to-back seasons and reached the 20-win mark for the eighth time in the last nine season.
