WISE, Va. – The UVa-Wise women's tennis team fell 9-0 to Tusculum College in its home opener Tuesday afternoon.
 
On a warm and sunny day in Wise, the Cavaliers were unable to recover after dropping all three doubles matches against stiff competition from Pioneers.
 
The doubles duo of Junetta Nuckels and Mackenzie Lawson won the most games in doubles play but lost 8-2 to Tusculum's Amanda Sumner and Adrienne Kaye. At the top doubles spot Daria Tyshchenko and Bailey Christoforatos battled the Pioneers' Kealee Heffner and Franziska Funke but fell 8-1. Marti Gay and Montana Hill were also unable to get a win at the third spot, losing 8-1.
 
Tusculum showed why it was ranked 47th nationally at the end of last season and eighth in the Southeast Region according to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) by sweeping all six singles matches without giving up a single set.
 
Freshman Mackenzie Lawson won the most games in singles competition, taking a 6-3, 6-1 loss to Sarah Baker of Tusculum at No. 5 singles. Sophomore Daria Tyshchenko also put up a fight at the No. 1 singles position before bowing out of the match, 6-2, 6-1, against the Pioneers' Kealee Heffner. Senior Junetta Nuckels won a couple games at the sixth spot against Tusculum's Emily Waters.
 
"It was a good test to get us ready for our conference season coming up", Head Coach Danny Rowland commented about the match, "We were playing a really good D-II team."
 
Next the Cavs open up their conference slate as they travel to Institute, West Virginia, to take on defending Mountain East Conference champions West Virginia State Saturday. The match is scheduled for 10 a.m.
 
UVa-Wise will then play host to the University of Charleston Sunday in a 12 p.m. match. Charleston was the runner-up in last year's MEC tournament and was picked to finish second in the league this season.
 
Full Match Results
#47 Tusculum College 9, UVa-Wise 0
 
Singles
1. Kealee Heffner (TCW) def. Daria Tyshchenko (WISE) 6-2, 6-1
2. Erin Mills (TCW) def. Bailey Christoforatos (WISE) 6-0, 6-1
3. Franziska Funke (TCW) def. Haley Thacker (WISE) 6-0, 6-0
4. Jule Brass (TCW) def. Marti Gay (WISE) 6-0, 6-0
5. Sarah Baker (TCW) def. Mackenzie Lawson (WISE) 6-3, 6-1
6. Emily Waters (TCW) def. Junetta Nuckels (WISE) 6-1, 6-1
 
Doubles
1. Kealee Heffner/Franziska Funke (TCW) def. Daria Tyshchenko/B. Christoforatos (WISE) 8-1
2. Amanda Sumner/Adrienne Kaye (TCW) def. Junetta Nuckels/Mackenzie Lawson (WISE) 8-2
3. Erin Mills/Emily Waters (TCW) def. Marti Gay/Montana Hill (WISE) 8-1