LEXINGTON, S.C. – The Presbyterian College women's tennis team (7-14) battled to the end on Thursday (April 16) but came up short in a heartbreaking 4-3 defeat to NJIT in the first round of the Big South Championship at Lexington County Tennis Complex.
The Blue Hose took the doubles point to open the match, but the Highlanders won on the top four singles courts to claim the win and advance to the semifinals.
NJIT picked up a 6-2 victory on the top doubles court to start the match. Right after, Luciana Parrilli and Sofia Rodrigo Hidalgo responded with a 6-3 win on court three. The doubles point came down to court two in a back-and-forth match. In the end, Grace Katzman and Mary Ellen Longmire came out victorious, winning the tiebreaker 8-6 to clinch the doubles point for PC.
Rodrigo Hidalgo continued her brilliant play in singles, putting Presbyterian up 2-0 with a dominant 6-0, 6-4 win on court five.
The Highlanders won in straight-sets on court four to get on the board before Mary Ellen Longmore cruised to a 6-2, 7-5 on court six to give the Blue Hose a 3-1 lead.
NJIT tallied a straight-set victory on court three shortly after to close the gap to just one. The match came down to courts one and two. Ladina Bruhin took the opening set 6-4 on the top court, but Laura Wipfli claimed the next two sets to tie the match at three.
Roxy Valdes dropped her first set on court two but rallied to even the match, taking the second set 6-4 to force a decider. However, NJIT prevailed in the third, coming away with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 win to clinch the match 4-3 in Lexington.
TEAM NOTES
- Mary Ellen Longmire recorded her ninth singles victory of the season.
- Grace Katzman and Longmire finished off the year with a doubles win on court three, improving to 10-3 (most wins on the team). They closed the year with an impressive 9-2 record on court two.
- Sofia Rodrgio Hidalgo picked up her fifth singles win of 2026.
NJIT 4, Presbyterian 3
Singles competition
1. Laura Wipfli (NJIT) def. Ladina Bruhin (PC) 4-6, 6-1, 6-2
2. Paula Alvarez (NJIT) def. Roxana Valdes (PC) 6-2, 4-6, 6-4
3. Irene Cocero (NJIT) def. Grace Katzman (PC) 7-5, 6-4
4. Feyza Aydin (NJIT) def. Luciana Parrilli (PC) 6-1, 6-4
5. Sofia Rodrigo Hidalgo (PC) def. Asima Sazan (NJIT) 6-0, 6-4
6. Mary Ellen Longmire (PC) def. Petra Koszo (NJIT) 6-2, 7-5
Doubles competition
1. Irene Cocero/Laura Wipfli (NJIT) def. Ladina Bruhin/Roxana Valdes (PC) 6-2
2. Grace Katzman/Mary Ellen Longmire (PC) def. Feyza Aydin/Paula Alvarez (NJIT) 7-6 (8-6)
3. Luciana Parrilli/Sofia Rodrigo Hidalgo (PC) def. Luisa Hepcal Barcan/Petra Koszo (NJIT) 6-3
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (5,4,6,3,1,2)
