HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – The Clarion women's tennis team rallied to split singles play, but the Golden Eagles dropped their first dual of the spring semester with a 6-3 loss to Shepherd in Hilton Head Island on Sunday.  The Golden Eagles (3-2) will be back in action later this week against Lenoir-Rhyne.
 
After a difficult start to the morning, the Golden Eagles fought back against the Rams to split the six singles matches on the courts.  The top of the Clarion lineup gave the Rams fits throughout the day, with Alivia Arnold and Maria Snyder each winning their singles matches and also pushing Shepherd's top doubles pair to a tiebreaker.
 
Arnold and Snyder also claimed their decisions by identical scores.  Snyder won the No. 2 singles match by a 6-1, 6-4 score over Molly Lovein, while Arnold defeated Alisha Adkins by a 6-1, 6-4 score in the No. 1 singles match.
 
Rounding out the wins for Clarion on Sunday was Katie Benson, who rallied from a one-set deficit to win a super tiebreaker against Olivia Scott in No. 6 singles.  Benson dropped the first set 6-1 but then dominated the second to the tune of a 6-2 score.  She then outpaced Scott 10-5 in the pro set to take the win.
 
Shepherd 6, Clarion 3
 
Doubles

1. Adkins/O'Neal (SU) def. Arnold/Snyder (CLAR) 9-8 (6)
2. Nicewander/Lovein (SU) def. Reddy/Benson (CLAR) 8-4
3. Bock/Bruley (SU) def. Petrilla/Probst (CLAR) 8-6

 
Singles

1. Alivia Arnold (CLAR) def. Alisha Adkins (SU) 6-1, 6-4
2. Maria Snyder (CLAR) def. Molly Lovein (SU) 6-1, 6-4
3. Zoie O'Neal (SU) def. Vinisha Reddy (CLAR) 6-3, 6-3
4. Zoe Nicewander (SU) def. Michelle Petrilla (CLAR) 6-3, 6-4
5. Anna Bock (SU) def. Allie Probst (CLAR) 6-0, 7-5
6. Katie Benson (CLAR) def. Olivia Scott (SU) 1-6, 6-2, 1-0 (5)