BUENA VISTA, Va.  Methodist University was on the campus of Southern Virginia University this past Saturday, April 5, for a USA South match. The Monarchs fought hard but ended up on the losing end of a 5–2 decision against the Knights at their Tennis Complex.

JUST THE FACTS
Final scores: Southern Virginia def. Methodist 5–2
Records: Methodist 6–7 (3-2 USA South); Southern Virginia 5–4 (3-0)
Location: SVU Tennis Complex; Buena Vista, Virginia

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Southern Virginia's top pair, Paula Snelson and Jillian Arnold, quickly set the tone in doubles with a dominant 6-2 win over Methodist's Emma Hulicki and Annabelle Subirats. The Monarchs stayed in the hunt for the doubles point after Veva Willocks and Wilette Rivera Morales overpowered Natalia Molanphy and Sadie Walton of the Knights, 6-2, on court three.
• It came down to No. 2 doubles to determine which team would take a 1–0 match lead, as the Southern Virginia duo of Lydia Delich and Remly Fry edged the Methodist pair of Katie Sechrist and Caitlin Tihanovich in a tight tiebreaker, 7-6 (7-5).
• The Knights carried their momentum into singles, winning four of the six matches to clinch the team victory.
• The Monarchs faced setbacks in the top four singles positions, with Hulicki falling to Snelson 6-0, 6-0 at No. 1, Subirats narrowly losing to Delich 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 at No. 2, Tihanovich being defeated by Arnold 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 at No. 3, and Sechrist succumbing to Fry 6-2, 6-0 at No. 4.
• The Monarchs found success at No. 5 singles, where Willocks secured a hard-fought victory over Molanphy 6–4, 7–5. In No. 6 singles, Madelyn Parker edged out Walton in a tightly contested match, winning 7-6, 6-0.

UP NEXT
Methodist is off until next Saturday, April 12, when the Monarchs travel to Brevard College for another USA South contest. The match is scheduled for 11 AM.