Braves Fall In PBC Matchup At Lander

 GREENWOOD, S.C. – Sophomore Mia Winterbottom held off a late charge from Aurelia Ruffat to post a 6-2, 7-6 win at No. 2 singles, but Lander used a doubles sweep, as well as five singles wins in straight sets, to turn back UNCP with an 8-1 win over the visiting Braves on Sunday afternoon at The Joe Cabri Courts.

The setback marked the fourth-straight loss for UNCP (1-4, 0-3 PBC), with the Bearcats (6-1, 1-1) getting back on track following a tight 5-4 loss to Francis Marion on Friday in their league opener. It was also the fourth consecutive series victory for Lander who improved to 10-1 all-time against the Braves.

Eliza Adusumilli and Brandi Cordell gave the Bearcats their first point of the day with an 8-0 blanking of UNCP's Mia Winterbottom and Madeline DiNunzio at No. 2 doubles, but the hosts followed suit with two more wins in doubles play to take a quick 3-0 lead on the team scoreboard. Nicola James and Melanise Newbold toughed out an 8-5 win over Maricel Quintero and Christian Minnick on court No. 3, while UNCP's Jenna McGary and Hannah Herlocker dropped a tight 8-6 set to Aurelia Ruffat and Cayce Bradley at No. 1 doubles.

James surrendered just one game in defeating Quintero 6-0 and 6-1 at No. 4 singles, but Lander would assure itself of its first PBC win of the season after Adusumilli's 6-2, 6-0 win over Herlocker on court No. 3. Bradley ousted DiNunzio 6-2, 6-2 at No. 5 singles, Cordell upended McGary 6-4, 6-3 at No. 1 singles and Newbold rebounded from a second-set loss to Minnick on court No. 6 with a 6-0, 4-6, 10-8 win over the UNCP senior.

Winterbottom had little trouble in posting a 6-2 win in her first set with Ruffat, but had to hold off the Lander junior in the second set before prevailing in a tiebreaker.

The Braves will be back in action again on Friday when they lace up to battle Chowan (0-2) in a 2 p.m. contest in Pembroke.