The No.-1 ranked Emory University women's tennis team was handed its first loss of the 2019 season Sunday morning, falling to No.-5 ranked Middlebury College, 6-3, in Middlebury, Vermont.
The loss snaps a 13-match winning streak for the Eagles as they fall to 13-1 in the spring while the Panthers improved to 8-1 with their second consecutive win over a team ranked inside the ITA top-10.
Middlebury got off to a strong start in the match, sweeping all three doubles matches. At first doubles, sophomores Ysabel Gonzalez-Rico and Defne Olcay fell 8-4 and on court two, senior Daniela Lopez and freshman Emma Cartledge dropped an 8-2 decision. On court three, sophomore Stephanie Taylor and freshman Christina Watson were dealt their first doubles defeat of the spring, falling 8-7 (9).
In singles, the Panthers were victorious in three of the first four matches that finished, earning wins on courts two, three and four to clinch the match. Gonzalez-Rico picked up a singles win on court one, her 10th straight singles win, defeating Katherine Hughes in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2.
Cartledge and freshman Jessica Fatemi closed out the match with wins on courts five and six with Cartledge winning in three sets 6-4, 1-6, 10-4 and Fatemi winning her 14th straight with a 6-0, 6-3 on court six.
The Eagles will be back on the courts this Saturday against crosstown foe Georgia State University in the first of three against non-Division III opponents. First serve is set for 2:00 PM at GSU.