Golden's Win at #6 Seals Seward Win Over Seminole
The Seward County Lady Saints started arguably their toughest stretch of the year on Thursday afternoon in Oklahoma City as they took on the host Seminole State Lady Trojans in a dual meet. Seward took an early 2-1 lead after doubles action, and remained up 4-3 later on when the Lady Saints Grace Golden picked up a win at #6 singles to seal the deal for Seward, giving them a 5-4 win over #18 Seminole.
In a classic #1 doubles matchup, Seward's 5th ranked duo of Paula Lopez and Paula Coyos took on Seminole State's 4th ranked pair of Helga Pinones and Shawnee Brelsford. After Pinones and Brelsford grabbed an early 4-0 lead and looked well on their way to a win, Lopez and Coyos stormed back for Seward, winning 8 of the final 9 games of the set to win 8-5. In #2 doubles play Kathryn Roohan and Jackie Arnold took care of business for the Lady Saints, easily defeating Hannah Tomlinson and Kristen Baker of Seminole 8-3 to put Seward up 2-0. Seminole got their only win in doubles action at #3 where Sherrill Marble and Ashley Bryen defeated the Lady Saints Grace Golden and Naomie Bukassa 8-3.
In what was anticipated to be a good matchup at #1 singles, Lopez, ranked 14th in the ITA rankings, had no problem with 24th ranked Brelsford, defeating her 6-1, 6-2 to give Seward a 3-1 lead. The match of the day came in #2 singles where 7th ranked Pinones won a grinder over 27th ranked Coyos 6-3, 6-7 (4), 10-6 while Tomlinson knocked off Roohan in #3 action to tie the score at 3. Arnold picked up another point for Seward with a 6-3, 6-0 win in #4 singles, easily defeating Haley Pope of Seminole, but the Lady Trojans drew even with a 6-2, 6-1 win in #5 action where Marble beat Bukassa. It all came down to #6 singles where Golden was taking on Bryen. Golden had little trouble in the first set, winning 6-2, but found herself down 5-1 in the second set before rallying to win six straight sets to take the match with a 7-5 win to clinch the dual for the Lady Saints 5-4.
With the victory #16 Seward improves to 5-2 overall on the season while their individual match record moves to 36-27 on the year.
The Lady Saints continue their tough stretch on Friday when they take part in the Trojan Dual Match Classic on Friday where they will take on #7 North Central Texas at 12:00 and #25 Jacksonville at 3:30.