ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Opening up a seven-match homestand, the Navy women's tennis team (5-7) was defeated, 7-0, by Wake Forest (9-3) on Friday afternoon at the Tose Family Tennis Center.
With the Midshipmen facing their second of three ACC opponents this season, Navy went with a younger lineup against the Demon Deacons to start a busy weekend.
Doubles play opened up with the No. 3 Wake Forest pairing of Whitley Pate and Jingyi Li beating senior
Kate Lee and sophomore
Julia Lee, 6-1.
The Deacs then secured the doubles point when Kady Tannenbaum and Nevena Carton earned the 6-3 win over sophomore
Manci Pal and freshman
Molly Bellia on the second court, while the top Navy duo of senior
Emily Tannenbaum and sophomore
Olivia Fermo were leading No. 75-ranked Makayla Mills and Krystal Blanch by a 5-3 score when play was called.
The Deacs' Tannenbaum then got a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Navy sophomore
Anna Jordaan in the No. 4 spot to start singles play, while Brianna Baldi notched a 6-1, 6-3 win against
Peyton Amspacher-Philemon on the sixth court to put Wake Forest up, 3-0. Ranked No. 95 in the latest ITA singles rankings, Blanch then clinched the team win when she defeated freshman
Grace Li, 6-3, 6-1, in the No. 2 match, while Pate knocked off Pal on the third court, 6-2, 6-1.
Rounding out the lineup, Fermo battled Sankavi Gownder but ultimately fell to the No. 5 Wake Forest player, 6-2, 7-5, and the elder Tannenbaum for Navy was upended by Carton in the top slot, 7-5, 6-1.
Coach Keith Puryear Comments
"Great opportunity for us to use today's match as another learning tool for the matches to come. Our point structure today was good, but one area we must continue to improve upon is closing out games consistently. Quick turnaround tomorrow and both matches will hold more challenges for us. We're looking forward to the battle."
Match Notes
• Navy is now 0-1 against Wake Forest all-time.
• The matchup with Blanch was the first ranked opponent of Li's collegiate career.
• This marks the first of two matches this season where a sibling of a Navy player will be in the opponent's lineup, as both sides Friday featured a Tannenbaum sister, Emily of Navy and Kady of Wake Forest.
Up Next
Navy hosts Towson (10 a.m.) and George Mason (2 p.m.) for a Saturday doubleheader in Annapolis.
