GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) women's tennis team is coming together and making positive strides that are setting the foundation for future success.
 
Despite dropping a 5-2 decision to visiting UNCW at the wind-whipped and sun-splashed UNCG Tennis Courts Sunday in a non-conference match, the Spartans are encouraged.
 
"I think we are progressing," UNCG freshman Raegan Mitchell said. "Compared to the beginning of the season, our effort is up a lot. We are a lot more positive now. I feel like we've come together as a team, and we have more unity than we did at the start of the semester. Having our new coach has been great and we've done a lot of team-building stuff. We're all on the same page."
 
One of those team bonding activities has included forming a human knot. The Spartans have looked to improve their times each chance they participate in the human knot. The impact is the Spartans are building trust and sharing strategic ways to escape, which has helped overall team chemistry.
 
"We all had to hold each other's hands and we got all mixed up and had to figure out how to get out without letting each other go," said Mitchell as she smiled while she shared the story. "That was really fun and a good light-hearted thing."
 
Against the Seahawks, the Spartans started strong by showcasing resiliency and poise in winning the doubles point. UNCW won at No. 3 doubles, but the Spartan doubles tandem of No. 1 Ariana Chan and Erika Barquero and No. 2 Raegan Mitchell and Juliana Craft were able to secure the key victories.
 
Chan and Barquero won 6-4 while Mitchell and Craft captured a thrilling 7-5 decision. Mitchell and Craft have been awesome together for the Spartans this season. Their bond is continuing to strengthen. This was the fourth match that they played together this season.
 
"We work really well, especially when she's at the net and I am in the back," Mitchell said. "She does a really great job of setting me up and allowing me to put balls away. She's consistent and I feel like our different playing styles throw the other teams off. It's hard for them to get used to any pattern."
 
Freshman Olivia Gallagher prevailed by a 6-4, 7-5 count at No. 6 singles. It was her fifth singles victory of the season. Chan dropped a tough three-set match that was tensely played.
 
This was UNCG's second home match in March and the first one in 22 days. Fortunately for the Spartans, after they visit Wofford on Saturday, April 2, they will play their final five regular-season matches at home.
 
"Playing at home was really nice," Mitchell said. "It's always better to be here and have some of our people supporting us. It's a lot better than being overwhelmed with other people at away matches. It's a lot easier to be encouraged when we are playing at home."
 
Final Word
UNCG head coach Paul Thomson
"Sounds like a broken record, but they played hard. A couple of girls are dinged up a little. UNCW is a good team, they were nationally ranked at one point this year. Olivia had a good win and we fought back and took the doubles point. We will take a day off and get back to it on Tuesday and begin preparing for a good Wofford team."
 
Results
Singles
Zoe Huffman (UNCW) d. Erika Barquero, 6-3, 6-4
Brinley Bell (UNCW) d. Ariana Chan, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
Lauren Gish (UNCW) d. Juliana Craft, 6-2, 6-2
Stela Joksimovic (UNCW) d. Eugenia Camacho, 6-4, 6-2
Sarah Merrill (UNCW) d. Raegan Mitchell, 6-1, 6-3
Olivia Gallagher (UNCG) d. Anna Daniels, 6-4, 7-5
 
Doubles
Barquero and Chan (UNCG) d. Bell and Gish, 6-4
Craft and Mitchell (UNCG) d. Huffman and Joksimovic, 7-5
Bell and Daniels (UNCW) d. Gallagher and Perry, 6-1