LMU Takes Pair from Tennis

SALISBURY, NC -- The Catawba men dropped an 8-1 match and the women 7-2 to the Railsplitters of Lincoln Memorial University Saturday at the Johnson Tennis Center. The men fall to 6-4 and the women stand at an even 5-5.

Maggie McKee (Mt Airy, NC/Mt. Airy HS) was the only singles winner for the Lady Indians as she dispatched LMU’s Alexander Granger 4-6, 6-3 and 7-5 at #3.

Sloan Kessler (Onalaska, WI/La Crosse Aquinas HS) and Steffi Cook (Alpharetta, GA/Milton HS) teamed up at #2 doubles to claim Catawba’s other victory. They outlasted Shena Joseph and Granger 8-5.

For the men, both #1 and #2 doubles teams were up 7-6 but could not hold on as the Railsplitters came back in each set to win 9-7.

Thomas Mitchell (Nanaimo, BC, CANADA/Pendleton School) got Catawba on the board with a solid 6-4, 6-1 win over LMU’s Will Sparks. Pierce Hoover (Durham, NC/N. Durham HS) came close to victory but dropped a three-setter to Alexey Minevskiy 6-4, 1-6 and 10-4.

Catawba plays a non-conference match at Winston-Salem State on Wednesday, Feb. 29 at 3:00 p.m.

Singles

1. Leah Donoff (LMU) def. Sloan Kessler (CATAWBA) 6-0, 6-2
2. Sofia Lopez Mimendi (LMU) def. Ally Prior (CATAWBA) 7-5, 6-4
3. Maggie McKee (CATAWBA) def. Alexandra Granger (LMU) 4-6, 6-3, 7-5
4. Logan Hubbs (LMU) def. Steffi Cook (CATAWBA) 6-2, 6-3
5. Aura Penalosa (LMU) def. Candace Hall (CATAWBA) 6-0, 4-6, 10-8
6. Jessica Baker (LMU) def. Hannah Kovach (CATAWBA) 6-0, 6-0

Doubles
1. Sofia Lopez Mimendi/Leah Donoff (LMU) def. Sloan Kessler/Maggie McKee (CATAWBA) 8-1
2. Steffi Cook/Ally Prior (CATAWBA) def. Shena Joseph/Alexandra Granger (LMU) 8-5
3. Logan Hubbs/Aura Penalosa (LMU) def. Candace Hall/Olivia Myers (CATAWBA) 8-3