HILTON HEAD, S.C. – IUP grabbed a 2-1 lead after doubles play but couldn't hold on as the 42nd-ranked Crimson Hawks fell to 32nd-ranked Palm Beach Atlantic 5-4 in spring break women's tennis action on Tuesday afternoon.
The Crimson Hawks had a pair of 8-6 doubles wins at the first and third spots to take the early lead.
Tanya Timko (Cannonsburg, PA/Chartiers-Houston) and
Jarka Petercakova (Bratislava, Slovakia/Sport Gymnasium) picked up the victory at No. 1 while
Luise Von Agris (Castrop-Rauxel Germany/Adalbet-Stifter-Gymnasium) and
Rachel Wood (Nottingham, U.K./West Bridgrord) won at No. 3.
The loss for IUP was a close one, with
Abby McCormick (Bethel Park, Pa. /Bethel Park) and
Raquel Gonzalez (San Sebastian, Spain/Colegio Sagrado Corazon) falling 8-5 at No. 2.
Palm Beach Atlantic rebounded to win four of the six singles matches, each in two sets. Timko fell 6-2, 7-6 (0) at one; Gonzalez lost 6-2, 7-5 at two; Von Agris was defeated 7-6 (5), 6-2 at four; and
Katrine Gransoe (Holte, Denmark/KNORD HHX) was bested 6-1, 6-3 at six.
Petercakova and Wood picked up the Crimson Hawks' singles victories, as Petercakova won 6-4, 6-2 at three and Wood was victories at five by a score of 6-4, 6-2.
The loss dropped IUP to 3-2 this spring, although both losses came to top-40 teams. The Crimson Hawks remain in South Carolina for the rest of the week, including matches with Chowan, Dickinson and Michigan Tech on Wednesday thru Friday.
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