STAUNTON, Va. – The Salem tennis team extended its winning streak to three straight following a 6-3 victory over Mary Baldwin in USA South Conference action in Staunton, Va. The Spirits have now won five of their last six matches and wrapped up league play with four wins in 2022.
Salem posted two wins in double action, including an 8-4 victory by the duo of Haley Gilley and McKinley Rice, who defeated Gretchen Lutz and Hannah Eastridge in No. 1 action. Teammates Alyssa Cosentino and Alyson Gammons were also responsible for a doubles point for Salem, defeating Alexis Seymore and Samantha Childs by an 8-3 score.
The Fighting Squirrels (7-15, 3-6 USA South) came through with a win in No. 3 doubles, which came by a virtue of Summer Wendt and Liz Wine downing Ashley Linden and Gina Franco by an 8-4 margin.
Rice added her second point of the afternoon in No. 2 singles with a 6-2, 6-2 triumph over Seymore. With the Spirits leading 3-1 in the match, Gilley stretched that margin to three points with a 6-1, 6-2 win in No. 1 singles over Gretchen Lutz.
Mary Baldwin claimed its first of two singles wins in No. 3 action as Eastridge posted a 6-2, 6-2 win over Cosentino. Teammate Lauren Hodgkins trimmed the Salem lead to one, 4-3, with a 6-2, 6-3 victory in No. 4 singles over Gammons.
Linden rebounded from her setback in doubles to earn the match-clinching point in No. 6 singles by defeating Childs by scores of 6-4, 6-3. Franco added the final team point of the afternoon in No. 5 singles, taking down Kelly Bantel by scores of 6-4, 2-6, 10-4.
Salem concludes the regular season on Saturday in a non-conference tilt at Hollins at 2 p.m.