BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Navy women's tennis team opened their spring dual season with a 5-2 loss to Samford on Saturday afternoon at the Pat M. Courington Tennis Pavillion in Birmingham, Alabama.
 
In the first meeting between the programs, the host Bulldogs were able to take a 1-0 lead after securing the doubles point. Samford's Cameron Rogin and Olivia Jablonski started the day by claiming a 6-4 victory over the No. 3 Navy pairing of sophomores Sylvia Eklund and Kate Lee. Navy freshman Sia Chaudry and sophomore Parvathi Shanker evened things up with a 6-4 win on the second court against the duo of Alexis Lopez and Ally Hayduk, but Samford clinched the doubles point when Samantha Nanere and Lindsay Song held off a late push from Navy's top duo of senior captain Casey Accola and sophomore Emily Tannenbaum for a 7-5 victory.
 
Nanere made it 2-0 Bulldogs with a 6-2, 6-3 win in the No. 2 singles matchup with junior Stella Ribaudo, while Hayduk beat Accola (6-2, 6-2) on the No. 3 court just minutes later. Tannenbaum pulled out a win for the Mids in the top singles match, 7-6 (3), 6-3, knocking off Lopez to keep the Navy comeback alive, but Song finished up a 6-2, 6-1 victory against Eklund on the fourth court to clinch the team win for Samford.
 
Playing out the dual, Chaudry earned a 7-5, 7-6 (1) win over Rogin at the No. 5 spot, while Shanker fell by a 7-5, 6-3 score against Samantha Maras on the No. 6 court, closing out the 5-2 Samford win.
 
Two extra matches were also played, as freshman Hanna Elks Smith beat Jablonski, 5-2, 4-5 (7), 10-8, and the Bulldogs' Lauren Waddles defeated junior Corinne Farid, 5-4 (5), 5-0.
 
With Saturday's result, the Midshipmen are now 10-4 all-time in spring openers.
 
Navy concludes its season-opening road trip with a 10 a.m. match against the Alabama Crimson Tide on Sunday in Tuscaloosa.
 
Samford 5, Navy 2
Doubles Results
1 – Samantha Nanere/Lindsay Song (SAM) def. Casey Accola/Emily Tannenbaum (NAVY), 7-5
2 – Sia Chaudry/Parvathi Shanker (NAVY) def. Alexis Lopez/Ally Hayduk (SAM), 6-4
3 – Cameron Rogin/Olivia Jablonski (SAM) def. Sylvia Eklund/Kate Lee (NAVY), 6-4
Order of Finish: 3-2-1
 
Singles Results
1 – Emily Tannenbaum (NAVY) def. Alexis Lopez (SAM), 7-6 (3), 6-3
2 – Samantha Nanere (SAM) def. Stella Ribaudo (NAVY), 6-2, 6-3
3 – Ally Hayduk (SAM) def. Casey Accola (NAVY), 6-2, 6-2
4 – Lindsay Song (SAM) def. Sylvia Eklund (NAVY), 6-2, 6-1
5 – Sia Chaudry (NAVY) def. Cameron Rogin (SAM), 7-5, 7-6 (1)
6 – Samantha Maras (SAM) def. Parvathi Shanker (NAVY), 7-5, 6-3
Order of Finish: 2-3-1-4-5-6
 
Extra Matches
Hanna Elks Smith (NAVY) def. Olivia Jablonski (SAM), 5-2, 4-5 (7), 10-8
Lauren Waddles (SAM) def. Corinne Farid (NAVY), 5-4 (5), 5-0