NEED TO KNOW:
Match 1 Score: Piedmont 5, Pfeiffer 2
Match 2 Score: Piedmont 6, Salem 1
Record: Piedmont, 11-4

WINST0N-SALEM, N.C. - Piedmont women's tennis won a pair of matches on Sunday afternoon in split squad action in North Carolina.

The Lions outlasted Pfeiffer, 5-2, in a hard-fought battle while another group traveled to Winston-Salem and rolled past Salem by a 6-1 margin.

Match 1: Piedmont 5, Pfeiffer 2

The doubles point went the way of Piedmont, as all three matches were decisive wins and Piedmont cruised in two of them.

Freshmen Kaleigh Stallworth and Ella Kate Canaday cruised to a 6-1 victory at the top spot in the doubles lineup while the Falcons won by the same score at No. 2. With the outcome of the doubles point up to the No. 3 spot in the lineup, the Lions left no doubt, with Brooklyn Bolch and Jordan Ballard closing out a 6-2 win to make it 1-0 in favor of the Lions heading into singles.

Needing just three of the six singles lines to take the match, the teams went back-and-forth but the Lions took the first set in the necessary three matches to grab control of the match.

Those three first set victories all turned to straight set wins, which was all the team needed to earn the clinch. While the Falcons put a point on the board to even the match first, Ballard followed quickly to move Piedmont back in front with a 6-3, 6-1 triumph at No. 6.

Then, it was the freshmen Canaday and Stallwrorth who pushed the Lions to the win. Canaday won a two-set battle, 6-4, 6-3 at No. 3 before Stallworth iced the match with a 6-3, 6-3 win at No. 1.

Although Pfeiffer won a grueling battle at No. 2, Caroline Morrison ended the match on a high note for the Lions, fighting back from dropping the opening set to eke out the second set and then dominate in the third set match tiebreak for a 5-7, 6-4, 1-0 (2) victory.

Match 2: Piedmont 6, Salem 1

The Lions dominated from start to finish against the Spirits, taking the doubles point with a pair of clinical victories before cruising to a number of singles wins in straight sets.

Olivia Carpenter and Emily Gonzalez rolled to a 6-1 win at No. 2 doubles to put the Lions in an advantageous position. While Salem took the match at No. 3, the Lions followed quickly with a 6-2 win from Sarah Row and Annalia Small at No. 1.

That set the stage for singles, in which Piedmont raced out to a quick lead by taking the first set in 5-of-6 matches.

Small and Row picked up where they left off from doubles, picking up the team's first two singles wins. Small won 6-3, 6-0 at No. 5 while Row cruised to a 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 2 to put the Lions one win away from the clinch.

Gonzalez then picked up the clinch, winning a grueling first set before cruising in the second (7-5, 6-2) to make it 4-0 Lions.

Playing out the final three matches, Piedmont was victorious in two of them, as Mackenzie Long (7-5, 6-4) and Carpenter (6-4, 6-4) separated just enough at No. 6 and No. 1 to score straight set wins.

Although Salem got on the board with a win at No. 3, the Lions had secured the win, their third straight since returning from Orlando.

Up next, the Lions will host Belhaven this Friday, March 27 at 2 p.m. with seniors Row and Ballard set to be honored after the match.

TURNING POINT:
- Piedmont took the doubles point by winning 2-of-3 in both matches, putting momentum on its side heading to singles.

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
- The freshmen duo of Stallworth and Canaday teamed up for a dominant win at No. 1 doubles before each won critical matches in singles to help lift the Lions over Pfeiffer.
- Gonzalez picked up a doubles win with Carpenter against Salem and then clinched the match with a 7-5, 6-2 win at No. 4 singles.

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