ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. Despite the changes to the 2021 conference tournament due to the ramifications of COVID-19, Methodist's women's tennis qualified for the USA South Athletic Conference postseason for the 16th straight season. However, the Monarchs' 2021 campaign ended in the East Divisional Championship Sunday afternoon with a 6-3 loss to host North Carolina Wesleyan College.
The 2021 league postseason was limited to just the top two teams in each division, with the winners of the East and West divisional matches schedule to meet in a conference title match.
JUST THE FACTS
What: USA South East Divisional Championship
Final score: No. 1 seed N.C. Wesleyan def. No. 2 seed Methodist, 6-3
Records: Methodist 8-14, N.C. Wesleyan 9-6
Location: Slick Family Tennis Center; Rocky Mount, N.C.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Methodist found itself trailing 2-1 after the three doubles matches, getting a point from the No. 3 tandem of Jill Lawrence and Kamdyn Balko with their 8-2 win over NCW's Julie Schoorsmans and Chandler Brice.
- The Battling Bishops put themselves on the cusp of victory with two more points at Nos. 3 and 4 singles, then clinched the match with a deciding fifth point in the 1-singles slot.
- The Monarchs picked up two more points despite the match having been decided, though. Valeria Matute won 6-4, 6-2 over Ana Aguilar at No. 5, and Olivia Ward added the third Methodist point with a 6-3, 7-6 win at No. 6 over NCW's Brice.
- Ward closes her freshman campaign on a six-match win streak in singles, while Matute finishes her sophomore season winning five of her last six singles bouts.
- Balko was part of a pairing that won five of six doubles matches to end the season. Four of those wins came with Lawrence as a partner and the other with Taylor Jackson.
