With several players on the sidelines battling the flu, the Virginia women’s tennis team incurred its first loss of the season to Baylor in a 6-1 match Saturday.
Only four Virginia players were able to participate in the match. Consequently, the team was forced to forfeit at the No. 3 doubles and No. 5 and 6 singles positions, immediately putting the No. 5 Cavaliers (2-1) down two points to No. 9 Baylor (2-0).
With one doubles match in the books, the Bears only needed one doubles win to secure the point. In the two matches played, Virginia juniors Stephanie Nauta and Maci Epstein beat Baylor junior Kiah Generette and freshman Theresa Van Zyl, 7-6, at No. 2 doubles. Baylor secured the doubles point, however, with a 6-4 win at No. 1 doubles against Virginia freshman Cassie Mercer and junior Skylar Morton.
Mercer earned the only point of the day for the Cavaliers in her win at No. 4 singles against freshman Leolia JeanJean. JeanJean lost the match by default due to a code violation. At No. 3 singles, Morton lost 6-2, 6-2, and on the No. 2 court, Epstein lost 6-0, 6-7, 1-0 to Generrete. At No. 1 singles, Baylor’s No. 72 senior Ema Burgic beat No. 16 Nauta 6-2, 6-2.
Virginia has until the end of the week to get its players healthy and ready to go again before it hosts No. 23 South Carolina Friday, Jan. 30. The match starts at 5 p.m.
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