MOUNT ST. MARY'S (0-0) vs. SHEPHERD (3-5)
Wednesday, Sept. 25, 3 p.m.
Mount Tennis Courts, Emmitsburg, Md.
MOUNT UPDATE: The Mount women's tennis team will play at home at the Mount Tennis Courts for the second time this season with Wednesday's match versus Division II opponent Shepherd at 3 p.m. In 10 home matches in 2012-13, the Mount put together a 4-6 record.
LAST TIME OUT: Over the weekend, the Mount competed in the two-day Bucknell Invitational Sept. 20-21. Seven different players earned singles wins during the event with the Mount adding two doubles wins as well. Danielle Nguyen and Taylor D'Agostino secured a doubles win as a tandem and singles wins in the tournament, as did sisters Kelly Smith and Jennifer Smith.
ABOUT THE RAMS: While the Mount has played three invitationals and zero duals, Shepherd has played in zero invitationals and eight duals through the first three weeks of the season. So far this fall, the Rams have picked up wins over St. Vincent, Concord and Hood.
LAST TIME VS. SHEPHERD: On Sept. 26, 2012, the Mount swept Shepherd, 9-0, on the road in Shepherdstown, W. Va. Playing by Division II rules where each doubles match counts as a point, the Mountaineers crushed the Rams by sweeping the doubles and winning all six singles matches in straight sets. Players on the current roster who picked up wins last year were Samantha Pinchoff, Liz Rossi and Jennifer Smith.
ALL-TIME SERIES WITH SHEPHERD: The Mount has never lost to Shepherd in 11 all-time meetings dating back to 2001. Wednesday's match will mark the 10th-consecutive fall that the two teams have matched up.
YEAR-BY-YEAR RESULTS VS. SHEPHERD (11-0)
4/4/01: W, 6‐1, Home
4/4/02: W, 7‐0, Home
9/20/04: W, 5‐2, Home
9/13/05: W, 9‐0, Away
10/2/06: W, 7‐0, Home
9/18/07: W, 8‐1, Away
9/16/08: W, 4‐3, Home
9/15/09: W, 6‐1, Home
9/21/10: W, 7‐2, Away
9/20/11: W, 6‐1, Home
9/25/12: W, 9‐0, Away
SEASON DEBUTS: The Mount, which is in its 26th season at the Division I level, has gone 17-8 in season openers since the 1988-89 season. The Mountaineers won the first match of the school year last fall over Shepherd.
LEADING THE WAY: Through three tournaments, Erin Benefiel, Taylor D'Agostino, Kelly Smith and Jennifer Smith are all tied for the team lead with three singles wins apiece. In doubles, the Smith/Smith connection has notched a team-best three victories.
COACHING STAFF: Head Coach Phil Hammond is entering his 10th season at the helm for the Mount. In his first nine seasons, Hammond has built both the men's and women's programs into perennial contenders in the Northeast Conference. On the women's side, Hammond's coaching record is 117-83, while putting together an 88-103 mark with the men's team. His assistants are sixth-year coach Bill Holloway and the Mount's all-time leader for singles wins, Mike Salomon, who graduated from the Mount in 2013.
UP NEXT: The Mount will compete in the George Mason Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 28.
