Results
CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky. –
Sierra Nellessen survived a third-set match point and rallied back to victory over Morehead State's Hayley Wild, giving the Northern Kentucky University women's tennis team a 4-3 victory in non-conference action on Friday evening.
Nellessen dropped the first set of her No. 5 flight singles match, 6-2, before rallying back for a 6-1 win in Set 2 to tie the match. The freshman battled back from match point down five games to four before completing the comeback in the final match of the evening.
It was the first win of the year for Nellessen at the No. 5 position, and improved her singles record to 7-3 overall. With the win, NKU improved to 4-3 on the season, while Morehead State fell to 3-8.
The event opened with the Norse taking the doubles point when
Maria Voscekova and
Danielle Donahue teamed up to defeat Morehead's Briar Preston and Sandrine Beaule, 8-7 (4), in the top flight. It was the second time this season Voscekova and Donahue defeated Preston and Beaule, as the Norse pair took a 9-7 decision at the NKU Women's Invitational back in September. Voscekova and Donahue are now 10-1 on the season in doubles play.
NKU also won the No. 3 doubles flight by default due to a shortage of MSU players.
In singles play, Morehead State battled back, taking singles wins at the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 4 flights, while NKU got a default victory at No. 6 to make it a 3-2 match.
Nicole Soutar picked up a win in her No. 3-flight singles match against Beaule, 6-2, 6-3, to level things at 3-3 and set up the dramatic match at No. 5.
NKU embarks on a whirlwind tour next weekend, visiting four schools in four days beginning with a trip to Western Kentucky on Thursday. The Norse will then open Atlantic Sun Conference play on Friday at Kennesaw State before taking on Mercer on Saturday. The trip will wrap up on Sunday with a non-conference match at Alabama State.
