HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – University of Charleston faced West Virginia State University in the Mountain East Conference Women's Tennis Championship at the Brian David Fox Tennis Center on the campus of Marshall University, falling 5-2 in the final to the Yellow Jackets.
 
UC, winners of the 2016 MEC title, was looking to repeat and got off to a strong start after two of three doubles matches to take a 2-1 lead into singles play.  UC's tandem of Kristine Gegeshidze and Katie Swann won at No. 1 doubles, and Elise Edwards and Silvana Slusarciuc picked up a win at No. 2 doubles. The Yellow Jackets salvaged a point at No. 3 doubles with a win by Kayla McKnight and Nika Tadic.
 
Unforturnately for the Golden Eagles, West Virginia State started strong in singles as MEC Player of the Year Laura Isbey picked up a win at No. 1 singles over Swann, 6-1, 6-1. Kierstin Hensley earned a win at No. 2 singles to give WVSU the 3-2 lead.
 
Tadic worked quickly losing just one game in two sets on her way to a win at No. 6 singles. The tournament-clinching win came at No. 5 singles as McKnight downed Alize Uyttenhove, 6-3, 6-3.
 
 
West Virginia State 5, Charleston 2
 
Doubles
#1 Swann/Gegeshidze (UC) def. Hensley/Dillwald (WVSU), 8-6
#2 Edwards/Slusarciuc (UC) def. Isbey/Miller (WVSU), 8-5
#3 McKnight/Tadic (WVSU) def. Uttenhove/Dillon (UC), 8-5
 
Singles
#1 Laura Isbey (WVSU) def. Katie Swann (UC), 6-1, 6-1
#2 Kierstin Hensley (WVSU) def. Kristine Gegeshidze (UC), 6-4, 6-3
#3
#4
#5 Kayla McKnight (WVSU) def. Allize Uttenhove (UC), 6-3, 6-3
#6 Nika Tadic (WVSU) def. Bridget Dillon (UC), 6-1, 6-0