CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Maryville gave Covenant all it could manage in Friday's semifinals of the Collegiate Conference of the South Women's Tennis Tournament.
Covenant held on 5-2 but had to rally after Maryville took victories at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles.
Abby Diggs and
Alyssa Smith at No. 2 won 8-6, and then
Mia Brown and
Mandy Webb at No. 3 won by the same 8-6 score line.
Last Saturday in Maryville, Covenant prevailed 8-1 in a match that was closer than the final score indicated. The same can be said about Friday in the Scenic City. Not only did the Maryville Scots take two of the three doubles points, but they were vying to push the Nos. 4 and 5 singles matches to a third set.
Smith at No. 4 won the first set 6-3 and trailed 5-3 in the second set. At No. 5, Diggs lost her first set 7-6 but led 2-1 early in the second.
But that was as close as MC was going to get. Covenant posted impressive victories at the other four singles matches to complete the comeback and advance to Saturday's championship rematch against Piedmont.
True Team Effort
"The end of doubles was exhilarating," Maryville head coach
Doug Corbett said. "This was a fantastic accomplishment for our team and will be a great memory to look back on. It was a true team effort from everyone.
"They were too much for us in some spots in singles, but it has nothing to do with any lack of effort. We did the best we could and because of that, the women can hold their heads high."
Diggs and Smith teamed up to go 13-2 in doubles – all at the No. 2 position. Smith had a 16-6 doubles record for the year and Diggs finished 16-7.
One year after compiling an 8-11 overall record, the Scots finish their 2024 season at 12-9 for the program's most wins in at least 20 years. The won-lost percentage of .571 is the best since the 2015 squad finished 8-6 (.571).
