Washington and Lee Women’s Tennis Dominates Christopher Newport Invite

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The early wobble didn’t last long.

After dropping two of three doubles contests, the Washington and Lee women’s tennis team reset, refocused, and then rolled through singles to claim six of nine total matches against host Christopher Newport at the Christopher Newport Invite on Sunday.

The tone changed the moment the singles slate began.

First-year Susanna Whitehead delivered one of the day’s sharpest statements, cruising to a 6-2, 6-0 win. On the adjacent court, fellow first-year Manavi Bedi went one better on the scoreboard, handing out a 6-0, 6-0 shutout that underlined the Generals’ depth at the bottom of the lineup.

The pressure kept coming.

Sophomore Sarah Ladd ground out one of the tighter battles of the afternoon, closing a straight-sets win by taking a 7-6 (4) tiebreak after an assured 6-2 opening set. Classmate Margarette Berdy had already seized control of her match, leading Christopher Newport’s Anna Bong 6-2, 2-1 when Bong was forced to retire, handing Berdy the victory.

Doubles had told a different story at the start of the day, but even there Washington and Lee found a foothold. Ladd and Whitehead combined for the Generals’ lone doubles win, a composed 6-2 decision over Molly Miller and Kylie Schaefer that kept the visitors in touch before the singles surge.

Junior Mary Kate Kahl added another strong note to the weekend. Already 1-0 in singles coming into Sunday, she moved to 2-0 with a 6-1, 7-5 win over Lindsey Bergelin, tightening her grip in the key moments of the second set to close the door.

One storyline from Saturday never found its conclusion. The Generals had stood on match point in doubles against Hampton before that contest went unfinished. Hopes of resuming against the Pirates on Sunday disappeared as the schedule moved on, leaving that particular chapter open.

Now the focus turns to Lexington.

Washington and Lee returns home to prepare for one of the key markers of its fall season: the ITA Southeast Region Championships at the University of Mary Washington, set for September 25–28.