Maryville Takes Down Agnes Scott 6-1
MARYVILLE – These Maryville Scots have played with their backs to the wall all season, and yet here they are. Headed to the USA South Women's Tennis Tournament.
Maryville's five-member squad qualified for the 2022 conference tourney with a 6-1 victory over Agnes Scott here Saturday on the MC Tennis Courts. This just 24 hours after taking out Berea 6-3 Friday afternoon.
The Scots with those wins improved to 3-3 in conference. They wrap up the regular season against Brevard, also 3-3, Tuesday at Brevard. The winner of that match hosts the loser of that match in the 4v5 round on April 26.
"Qualifying for the conference tournament is a huge accomplishment for this team and this program," Maryville head coach Doug Corbett said. "We really want to be playing our best tennis at the end of the year, and that's exactly what we are doing.
"There were some tense moments in doubles here today, but we really responded in singles, no question."
In most matches, having just five players means forfeiting a doubles point and a singles point, which leaves almost zero room for error in the rest of the matches. Agnes Scott also had just five players Saturday, so this match required no forfeits on either side.
Singles Sweep
After splitting the doubles points, Maryville swept all five singles matches. Eliza Cheshire and Elizabeth Shwaiko teamed for an 8-0 doubles shutout that evened the score 1-1. Then they both claimed straight-set victories in singles as part of the Maryville sweep.
"It's really awesome what Coach Corbett and the assistant coaches have done for our team," said Shwaiko, who won 6-3, 6-2 at No. 2 singles. "They really push us to work harder in practice, and they push us to be better every day. They teach us the little things, they work with us step by step, and eventually as a team we get better. We proved that today.
"For this weekend, we just took it one point at a time. We fed off the wins from the past days and just kept the momentum going."
The team elected Cheshire a captain back in December, and the Nashville junior has thrived living up to those expectations.
"When Coach Corbett came on board, I wanted to help him out and make him feel comfortable," said Cheshire, who was a 6-1, 6-0 winner at No. 4. "I was proud of being named captain, and my role is to pass on leadership to our younger players."
Leadership & Improvement
Corbett credited both Cheshire and Shwaiko with playing huge roles in this year's success.
"Eliza has been a fantastic leader all season long," Corbett said. "They really look up to her and she's a great kind of sidekick for a coach. And Elizabeth has improved so much over the course of the year. She's a huge asset now to have playing high, and she's doing well."
Melanie Kowalewski won her No. 1 singles match 6-1, 6-3; Abby Diggs swept through her match at No. 3 by a 6-0, 6-0 score, and Abby Smither at No. 5 prevailed 6-2, 6-1.
Tuesday's matches at Brevard for both the men and women start at 3:30 p.m.
"If we can pull it off, we get to host and that would be awesome," Corbett said. "It's an exciting opportunity to play a team back-to-back."
Maryville 6, Agnes Scott 1
Doubles
1. Brandy Nalyanya/Gor'Nese Turner (ASC) d. Melanie Kowalewski/Abby Diggs (MC) 8-5
2. Eliza Cheshire/Elizabeth Shwaiko (MC) d. Caroline Goldstein/Leilah Lewinson (ASC) 8-0
Singles
1. Melanie Kowalewski (MC) d. Gor'Nese Turner (ASC) 6-1, 6-3
2. Elizabeth Shwaiko (MC) d. Brandy Nalyanya (ASC) 6-3, 6-2
3. Abby Diggs (MC) d. Leilah Lewinson (ASC) 6-0, 6-0
4. Eliza Cheshire (MC) d. Katiuska Toral Castillo (ASC) 6-1, 6-0
5. Abby Smither (MC) d. Caroline Goldstein (ASC) 6-2, 6-1
