By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Former Lady Rebel Wilkes helps Piedmont grab historic victory
2A9A1621.JPG
Dakota Wilkes - photo by Mark Lastinger/staff


DEMOREST --  Dakota Wilkes of Springfield and the Piedmont Lady Lions tennis team (3-1) marked the program's first victory over the Berry College Vikings (0-1) on Sunday. The team secured the match 5-4 at the Burgen Tennis Courts on Piedmont's campus.

Maggie Moody battled to win two hard-fought sets to provide the clinching match at No. 4 singles to defeat Berry.

After Piedmont was blanked at No. 2 doubles, the No. 1 team of Megan Waldheim and Caroline Connelly evened the match with an 8-3 win.

That set the stage for the freshman duo of Imani Vincent and Wilkes, who pushed their match at No. 3 doubles to a tiebreaker, where they prevailed, 7-5, to give Piedmont the momentum heading into singles.

With numbers one through three singles playing first, Vincent extended the Piedmont lead, escaping a first-set tiebreaker and winning the second, 6-1, to give the Lady Lions a 3-1 match lead.

The Vikings put another point on the board as Connelly fell in a three-set match at No. 1. However, minutes later, Waldheim battled back from dropping the second set to blank Sara Myers, 6-0, in the deciding third to put PC within a point of clinching the match.

Berry clawed back into the match with a pair of two-set wins at No. 5 and No. 6 singles, but Moody battled to win a tiebreaker in the first set before once again battling back from down in the second to win, 7-5, and clinch the home-opening win for the Lady Lions.

Up next, Piedmont will return to the Burgen Tennis Courts to host Pfeiffer Sunday, March 1, at 1 p.m.

DOUBLES RESULTS:

1. Caroline Connelly/Megan Waldheim (PIEDMONT) def. Allison Ivey/Anna Skowronski (BERRY) 8-3

2. Kathryn Barker/Keileen Cullen (BERRY) def. Kara Landsiedel/Maggie Moody (PIEDMONT) 8-0

3. Imani Vincent/Dakota Wilkes (PIEDMONT) def. Sara Myers/Faith Van Rengen (BERRY) 8-7 (5)

SINGLES RESULTS:

1. Allison Ivey (BERRY) def. Caroline Connelly (PIEDMONT) 2-6, 6-3, 6-3

2. Megan Waldheim (PIEDMONT) def. Sara Myers (BERRY) 6-4, 3-6, 6-0

3. Imani Vincent (PIEDMONT) def. Kathryn Barker (BERRY) 7-6 (5), 6-1

4. Maggie Moody (PIEDMONT) def. Faith Van Rengen (BERRY) 7-6 (6), 7-5

5. Keileen Cullen (BERRY) def. Kara Landsiedel (PIEDMONT) 6-4, 6-2

6. Sakura Manning (BERRY) def. Samantha Lowry (PIEDMONT) 6-3, 6-3