By Joey Jones for App State Sports. PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. – In its final match of the 2023 season, App State women’s tennis capped its first postseason appearance with a 4-0 victory over the University of California-San Diego in Thursday’s consolation draw of the inaugural Universal Tennis NIT Championship.
The Mountaineers finished the campaign with a 14-9 overall record and were tied for third in the final Sun Belt standings. The 14 wins are tied for the second-most in a season in program history.
A day after falling short of a comeback attempt against No. 70 Wyoming, head coach Ashleigh Antal’s squad bounced back admirably indoors against the Tritons (10-16).
App State’s No. 1 and No. 2 doubles tandems got the day started. At No. 1, Savannah Dada-Mascoll and Ellie Murphy won 6-2, while at No. 2, Helena Jansen and Erika Dodridge teamed up for a 7-6 (7-3) tiebreaker victory.
It was a quick sweep at singles courts 1, 2 and 3 that sealed the deal. Dada-Mascoll was first in the win column with a 6-4, 6-2 triumph at No. 2, followed by Jansen with a 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 1, and then Maggie Pate with a 6-2, 6-2 victory at No. 3.
Other App State competitors included Brooke Demerath and Olwyn Ryan-Bovey.
App State will say farewell to outgoing seniors Dodridge, Jansen and Virginia Poggi heading into next year.
