Box Score WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.--The Southeastern Lady Fire tennis team opened their 2011 season with a tough task, facing No. 18 Northwood University on the road as SEU lost, 7-2.
Overall for the Lady Fire it was a nice start to their 2011 season, as they battled a top 25 NAIA school to the wire. But, things will not get much easier for Southeastern early on in the season, as SEU will next host No. 4 ranked Embry-Riddle University, Monday afternoon.
Then, next Friday, Southeastern will welcome No. 14 St. Thomas University, as The Sun Conference boasts four teams that are ranked in the NAIA's Top 25. Savannah College of Art & Design is the member currently ranked nationally, sitting No. 9 in the country. SEU will not face SCAD until April 1, in Savannah, Ga.
Southeastern's Autumn Housefield was a part of both SEU victories, as she teamed up with Wendy Reade in double action to defeat Kristen Walker and Danielle Miller, 8-2.
Housefield then won her singles match, rematching Miller, and winning easily, 6-1, 6-0.
Lady Fire No. 1 and No. 2 players, Chelsey Lynn and Alexandra Fraser, had the tough jobs of having to matchup with two All-Conference players from a year ago, Fiorella Moggia and Priseila Duarte.
Lynn lost a close opening game, 6-4, to Moggia before losing 6-0 in the decisive set. Fraser lost both of her games to Duarte, 6-1.
Noelle Cottom and Amanda Summers both lost their matches, 6-1, 6-1; Cottom losing to Christine Novakova while Summers was defeated by Andrea Sucre.
The best singles match of the day belonged to Southeastern's Wendy Reade and Northwood's Kristen Walker. Walker won the first game, 6-4, before Reade returned the favor to win set two, 7-6, forcing a third and final set. Walker eventually won the tie-breaker, 8-6.
Southeastern (0-1, 0-1) nearly came up with two other victories in doubles play as Cottom and Fraser lost a close one to Moggia and Sucre, 9-7.
But, the toughest loss of the day for Southeastern might have been when Lynn and Summers lost in a tie-breaker to Novakova and Duarte, 9-8 (7-5).
The Lady Fire's home season opener will be this Monday afternoon, at 3:00 p.m. versus ERU.
