April 24, 2007

JACKSON -- Without No. 1 player Emily Stewart and a trio of other injuries, the Millsaps Lady Majors had their three-match winning streak snapped at Parham Bridges Tennis Center on Tuesday afternoon, falling just short of an upset in a 5-3 loss to Miss. College.

Millsaps once again held a 3-2 lead over the Lady Choctaws until the wheels fell off. The Majors No. 2 player, Beth Sadler, was defeated in both singles and doubles action, playing in her words "the worst match of the season" but was glad to get it out of her system before the conference tournament this weekend in Waco, Texas.

The Choctaws took 2-of-3 doubles points to jump out to a quick 2-1 lead before Sarah Spraberry forfeited her match at No. 1 singles against Millsaps' Allison Zakaras to tie it 2-2.

Allisa Vincent was tied up in a close match at No. 5 singles that could have gone either way, falling in a third set to Claire Cox by scores of 6-3, 1-6, 7-5. Vincent was serving with a 40-15 lead and a point away from tying it at 6-6, but couldn't find the court in the closing moments and lost four straight points for a tough 7-5 loss to end the Lady Majors' hopes.

Beth Piraino [pictured] defeated Emily Newman at No. 3 singles by scores of 6-3, 7-6(4) to earn Millsaps' lone point behind the Spraberry forfeit.

Injuries proved to be key in the loss, nevertheless, Millsaps is assured a winning season despite all the turmoil that injuries have caused and will be the No. 6 seed playing against the No. 11 seed in Austin College in the upcoming SCAC Tournament.