LEXINGTON, Va. --- After trailing following doubles play, the No. 18 Washington and Lee women's tennis team won four straight singles matches to prevail, 5-2, over No. 24 Denison in the third round of the NCAA Women's Tennis Championship on Sunday afternoon.
 
With Denison (8-4) ahead, 2-1, through doubles play, junior Taylor Garcia (Mandeville, La. / Mount Carmel Academy) earned a quick 6-1, 6-2 win at No. 1 singles for the Generals (16-2) to tie the overall match score. First-year Izzy Koziol (Wilton, Conn. / Wilton) then won at No. 4, 6-2, 6-2, to pull W&L ahead by a 3-2 margin. Sophomore Becket Waters (Raleigh, N.C. / Needham B. Broughton) then earned a 6-0, 6-2 win at No. 6, before senior Valerie Marshall (Arlington, Va. / Yorktown) clinched the match with a 6-3, 7-5 win at No. 2.
 
First-years Kaitlyn Chalker (Kennesaw, Ga. / Rivers Academy) and Nell Covington (Dallas, Texas / Highland Park) claimed W&L's doubles win, as they defeated Monique Brual and Kendall Schrader, 8-5, at No. 3. The Generals were also leading in their two unfinished singles matches, as first-year Gabi Moss (Paradise Valley, Ariz. / Chaparral) was ahead 4-2 at No. 3 in the third set, while first-year Margaret Carlton (Matthews, N.C. / Charlotte Christian) held a 6-4, 3-1 lead at No. 5.
 
The Generals will return to the courts on Monday, May 24, when they will take on No. 2 Wesleyan (Conn.) at the Champions Tennis Club in Chattanooga, Tenn., in the NCAA Quarterfinals. The match is currently scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m.

18 WASHINGTON AND LEE 5, #24 DENISON 2
May 16, 2021 at Lexington, Va. (Duchossois Tennis Center)

Singles Competition

1. Taylor Garcia (WLU) def. Sydney Cianciola (DEN) 6-1, 6-2
2. Valerie Marshall (WLU) def. Alex Cash (DEN) 6-3, 7-5
3. Gabi Moss (WLU) vs. Sarah Robertson (DEN) 3-6, 6-3, 4-2, unfinished
4. Izzy Koziol (WLU) def. Hannah Cianciola (DEN) 6-2, 6-2
5. Margaret Carlton (WLU) vs. Monique Brual (DEN) 6-4, 3-1, unfinished
6. Becket Waters (WLU) def. Hannah Bradvica (DEN) 6-0, 6-2

Doubles Competition

1. Alex Cash/Hannah Cianciola (DEN) def. Taylor Garcia/Margaret Carlton (WLU) 8-6
2. Sarah Robertson/Sydney Cianciola (DEN) def. Gabi Moss/Becket Waters (WLU) 8-5
3. Kaitlyn Chalker/Nell Covington (WLU) def. Monique Brual/Kendall Schrader (DEN) 8-5

Match Notes

• Denison 8-4; National ranking #24; Regional ranking #3
• Washington and Lee 16-2; National ranking #18; Regional ranking #6
• Order of finish: Doubles (2-1-3); Singles (1-4-6-2)