Historic Year Comes to an End in NAIA Second Round

By Mike DeVader, Reinhardt Director of Athletic Communications & Media

Photo Courtesy of Tom Grason

MOBILE, Ala. – A record-setting season came to a close Wednesday morning for Reinhardt in the NAIA Women's Tennis National Championship, as the Eagles fell, 4-0, to No. 1 Georgia Gwinnett at the Mobile Tennis Center despite a valiant effort against the Grizzlies.

The hometown club made it to its first-ever second-round bout at the National Championship in Alabama – and even though it dropped to 8-8 on the year – it gave the nation's top team some trouble early.

Georgia Gwinnett took No. 3 doubles with relative ease, but sputtered a bit in the other spots. Stephanie Fernandez and Tayla Kruger stood tall on line two before the Grizzlies won, 6-2, and at No. 1 doubles, the duo of Ana Rodriguez/Glauka Carvajal was fighting to the end (down, 4-3) before doubles were called.

The top seed was able to clinch the match, 4-0, following wins on the final three lines of singles play. Kruger was a bright spot individually with her 6-2, 6-0 defeat. All the top three matches went unfinished, but Fernandez (No. 1; 1-6, 0-4), Rodriguez (No. 2; 6-5) and Carvajal (No. 3; 4-6, 0-1) all had strong showings as well. 

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