SEWANEE, Tenn. – Looking to reassert itself as one of the top teams in the South after a historic 2021 spring season, the Millsaps women's tennis team advanced to five finals at the ITA South Regional Championships over the weekend.
The Majors won both their first SAA Regular Season and Tournament titles last season and earned their first NCAA Tournament victory in May.
Senior
Morris Kelly Clayton found success out of the gates in the Singles B3 Flight with three victories to reach the finals. She opened with a clean sweep over Lexie Washburn of Piedmont then advanced past Sewanee's Tessa Shekelford (score not listed).
Shekelford's teammate, Sydney Wray pushed Clayton to a third set, but the New Albany, Miss., native bookended the match with more sweeps (6-0, 3-6, 6-0). Kiera Knoflicek of Rhodes won in the finals by a score of 6-2, 6-0.
Marissa Brown, an All-SAA Second-Team honoree, went deep into her pod of the Main Singles Consolation. After losing her match, the senior downed Judith Mills of Belhaven (6-4, 6-4) and Sarah Rushing of Birmingham-Southern (6-2, 7-5). Rhodes' Lea Letourneau was too tough in the finale, winning 6-2, 6-3.
The finals streak continued as fellow classmate
Amelia Christy downed a pair of Piedmont student-athletes, including Mia Vasher (7-5, 6-3) and Railey Richardson (6-0, 6-1) in the Singles B1 Flight Consolation. She was bested by Dakota Wilkes (also of Piedmont), 6-3, 6-3.
Senior
Isabella Hutchins earned a victory in the very same singles consolation pod. She bested Tyler Perry (Piedmont) in three epic sets, 6-1, 5-7, 11-9. Yet another Piedmont athlete was next, bettering Hutchins in three more hard-fought sets, 0-6, 6-0, 10-7.
Also earning a victory in singles competition was senior
Sarah Hayek. The Greenville, Miss., product downed Mamie Sevier (Centre), 6-2, 6-4.
In doubles action,
Camille Landry and Hayek teamed for a couple of wins in the Doubles B2 Flight. The tandem outlasted Sewanee's Smyth/Wray, 8-7 (5) and got through Washburn/Rabensdorf (Piedmont), 8-2. Darkey/Bennett of Rhodes just barely edged the Majors, 8-6 in the finals.
The last pair to reach a finale was Christy and Hutchins in the Doubles B1 Flight Consolation. Identical 8-1 scores were more than enough to barrel past Salgueiro/Ali (Oglethorpe) and Grace/Wiggins (Belhaven). Sewanee's Gray/Tyer Jones ended the run in the closing match, 8-1.
Brown and Clayton also won a match in the Main Doubles Consolation bracket over Laney/Lewis of Methodist.
MILLSAPS RESULTS
Women's Singles – Main Draw
Xuanjin Li (Emory) def.
Marissa Brown, 6-2, 6-0
Sarah Livingston (Sewanee) def.
Camille Fremaux, 6-0, 6-1
Kristal Dule (NC Wesleyan) def.
Kiana Everhart, 6-1, 6-0
Emma Caldwell (Sewanee) def.
Mary Dabadie, 6-0, 6-0
Women's Singles – Main Consolation
Marissa Brown def. Judith Mills (Belhaven), 6-4, 6-4
Marissa Brown def. Sarah Rushing (BSC), 6-2, 7-5
Lea Letoumeau (Rhodes) def.
Marissa Brown, 6-2, 6-3
Lea Letourneau (Rhodes) def.
Camille Fremaux, 6-0, 6-0
Maddy Trinh (Centre) def.
Kiana Everhart, 6-2, 6-3
Caroline Lancaster (Centre) def.
Mary Dabadie, 6-1, 6-0
Women's Singles – B1 Flight
Gracie Hughes (Sewanee) def.
Amelia Christy, 7-5, 6-4
Lauren Kadow (Sewanee) def.
Isabella Hutchins, 6-0, 6-0
Women's Singles – B1 Flight Consolation
Amelia Christy def. Mia Vasher (Piedmont), 7-5, 6-3
Amelia Christy def. Railey Richardson (Piedmont), 6-0, 6-1
Dakota Wilkes (Piedmont) def.
Amelia Christy, 6-3, 6-3
Isabella Hutchins def. Tyler Perry (Piedmont), 6-1, 5-7, 11-9
Dakota Wilkes (Piedmont) def.
Isabella Hutchins, 0-6, 6-0, 10-7
Women's Singles – B2 Flight
Emma McHale (Rhodes) def.
Camille Landry, 6-0, 6-0
Sarah Hayek def. Mamie Sevier (Centre), 6-2, 6-4
Nelson Tyer Jones (Sewanee) def.
Sarah Hayek, 6-1, 6-4
Women's Singles – B2 Flight Consolation
Rachel Brooks (Piedmont) def.
Camille Landry, 6-2, 4-6, 1-0
Women's Singles – B3 Flight
Morris Kelly Clayton def. Lexie Washburn (Piedmont), 6-0, 6-0
Morris Kelly Clayton def. Tessa Shakelford (Sewanee)
Morris Kelly Clayton def. Sydney Wray (Sewanee), 6-0, 3-6, 6-0
Kiera Knoflicek (Rhodes) def.
Morris Kelly Clayton, 6-2, 6-0
Women's Doubles – Main Draw
Perez/Yoon (Emory) def. Everhart/Fremaux, 8-3
Despriet/Hall (Sewanee) def. Brown/Clayton, 8-1
Women's Doubles – Main Consolation
Sherman/Doherty (Centre) def. Everhart/Fremaux, 8-2
Brown/Clayton def. Laney/Lewis (Methodist)
McHale/Letourneau (Rhodes) def. Brown/Clayton, 8-6
Women's Doubles – B1 Flight
Shakelford/Thompson (Sewanee) def. Christy/Hutchins, 8-6
Women's Doubles – B1 Flight Consolation
Christy/Hutchins def. Salgueiro/Ali (Oglethorpe), 8-1
Christy/Hutchins def. Grace/Wiggins (Belhaven), 8-1
Gray/Tyer Jones (Sewanee) def. Christy/Hutchins, 8-1
Women's Doubles – B2 Flight
Landry/Hayek def. Smyth/Wray (Sewanee), 8-7 (5)
Landry/Hayek def. Washburn/Rabensdorf (Piedmont), 8-2
Darkey/Bennett (Rhodes) def. Landry/Hayek, 8-6
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