BRIDGEWATER, Va. -- It was only eight days ago when the Virginia Wesleyan College women's tennis team traveled to Bridgewater College and dropped a 7-2 decision to the host Eagles.
On Sunday the Marlins were back in Bridgewater for the quarterfinal round of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) tournament. This time however, the results were completely different.
Fifth-seeded Virginia Wesleyan jumped out to a 2-1 lead in doubles competition and went on to post a 5-4 victory over the fourth-seeded host team. In that first meeting on April 13, Bridgewater owned the lead heading into singles by sweeping all three doubles flights.
Bridgewater (15-4) took an 8-4 win at No. 1 doubles, but VWC (9-12) took the wins at No. 2 and No. 3. Rookies Victoria Ryherd (El Paso, Texas/Loretto Academy) and Mia Proctor (Arnold, Md./Broadneck) won 8-4 over BC's Brittany Wilson (Lynchburg/Heritage) and Olivia Stone (Fredericksburg/Massaponax) at the second flight and rookie Hannah Parent (Port Tobacco, Md./Indian Head Lackey) and seniorRachel Calkins (Pauma Valley, Calif./Temecula Great Oak) pulled out a thrilling 8-6 win over Miranda Donovan (Mineral/Louisa County) and Rita Murphy (Plymouth, Mass./Sacred Heart) at No. 3. The loss was the first of the season against ODAC foes for the latter BC duo.
Ryherd, Proctor and Parent clinched the victory in singles for the Marlins, all winning at their respective flights. Rhyerd won at No. 2 6-1, 6-2 and Parent won at No. 5, 6-3, 6-2. Proctor played three sets at No. 3, but overcame a 6-4 loss to Wilson in the first set to take the match with 6-1, 7-5 scores.
Virginia Wesleyan advances to the ODAC semifinals on Saturday, April 27 in Virginia Beach. The Marlins are hosting the conference's championship competition at The Everett Center. VWC will take on top-seeded Washington and Lee University at 1 p.m.
Virginia Wesleyan 5, Bridgewater College 4
| Singles competition |
| 1. Katie Gordon (BC) def. Sara Yousif (VWCW) 6-2, 1-6, 6-4 |
| 2. Victoria Ryherd (VWCW) def. Marla O'Bryan (BC) 6-1, 6-2 |
| 3. Mia Proctor (VWCW) def. Brittany Wilson (BC) 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 |
| 4. Jessie Mitchell (BC) def. Stephanie Bittner (VWCW) 6-1, 6-2 |
| 5. Hannah Parent (VWCW) def. Olivia Stone (BC) 6-3, 6-2 |
| 6. Miranda Donovan (BC) def. Rachel Calkins (VWCW) 6-0, 6-0 |
| Doubles competition |
| 1. Katie Gordon/Marla O'Bryan (BC) def. Sara Yousif/Stephanie Bittner (VWCW) 8-4 |
| 2. Victoria Ryherd/Mia Proctor (VWCW) def. Brittany Wilson/Olivia Stone (BC) 8-4 |
| 3. Hannah Parent/Rachel Calkins (VWCW) def. Miranda Donovan/Rita Murphy (BC) 8-6 |
| Match Notes |
| ODAC Tournament First Round |
