The No. 19-ranked Ole Miss women’s tennis team took a tough 4-2 loss Sunday to No. 28 Yale in the opening round of the ITA Kick-Off Weekend at the Gillom Sports Center.
“It’s tough,” Ole Miss head coach Mark Beyers said. “The toughest thing is that it’s a couple of (losses) in a row already. The match can go either way, and, unfortunately, these last two didn’t go our way, and it is frustrating.”
Tanner Marquis |The Daily Mississippian
Junior Caroline Rohde-Moe
Things got off to a rough start for the Rebels in doubles as the Bulldogs were able to put away the Rebels in No. 1 doubles, 8-4, and in No. 3 doubles, 8-6, to claim the doubles point.
Despite trailing the match 1-0 after doubles, the Rebels played well in the beginning of singles. Sophomore Julia Jones won her singles match 6-1, 6-3 to put Ole Miss on the board and tie the match. Following Jones’ victory, junior Caroline Rohde-Moe pulled out a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 win to push the Rebels ahead 2-1. Unfortunately for Ole Miss, that was all it would be able to get on the day.
Ole Miss freshman Mai El Kamash was in a battle all day in No. 2 singles, but fell, 7-6, 6-7, 6-2, which evened the overall match score at two.
“There were so many momentum changes (in the match),” Beyers said. “We had set points in the first, and then the other girl was up 5-3, and then we win the second. It was a great battle. I’ve got to give a lot of credit to Yale. They are well-coached and a very good team from top to bottom.”
Yale took control of the match from there with victories of 6-4, 6-4 and 6-3, 6-2 over Erin Stephens and Marija Milutinovic, at No. 4 and No. 5 singles respectively, to close out the match.
Ole Miss will face No. 27 Illinois at 8 a.m. today in the consolation match of the tournament.
