DeLand, Fla. - The Stetson women's tennis team (4-2) saw its four-match winning streak come to an end in a 5-2 loss to visiting College of Charleston (2-3) Friday afternoon at the Mandy Stoll Tennis Center. The doubles duo of sophomore Shannon Gunning (Boca Raton, Fla.) and junior Unnati Purushotham (Hyderabad, India) won again to improve to 6-0 on the season; today's freshly released ITA national rankings feature the Hatter pair at #59 in the nation.
Gunning and Purushotham are the second pair of Stetson players to make the ITA doubles rankings this season as senior Valentina Galbarini (Montevideo, Uruguay) and Carolina de los Santos (Montevideo, Uruguay) were ranked 60th in the preseason poll.
De los Santos was Stetson's only double winner today as she and Galbarini bounced Holly Dowse and Emma Hayman 9-7; the rookie later defeated Kinsey Casey 6-0, 7-5 at #3 singles. The Cougars, formerly at #72 nationally until today, rallied from a set down in a pair of singles matches to swing the outcome their way.
Today was "Pack the Courts Pink" day at the Mandy Stoll Tennis Center as the women's tennis squad and Stetson Student-Athlete Advisory Committee teamed up to raise money for breast cancer research. "Play in Pink" t-shirts were worn by the Hatters and were also sold to benefit the American Cancer Society.
Stetson hosts local NAIA power Embry-Riddle tomorrow at 10 a.m.
