Trojan tennis beats MP, takes 2nd in Burlington

FAIRFIELD — This could certainly be a banner week for the fourth-ranked Fairfield girls’ tennis team, as the Trojans inch closer and closer to the title in the first season of Southeast Conference fall tennis.

The Trojans finished off a season sweep of SEC rival Mt. Pleasant 8-1 on Thursday night to move one win away from a regular season title.

The Trojans dominated the first four singles matches. Poojita Mukadam defeated Lila Cook, 9-0. Ria Ross knocked off Mia Gray, 8-0. Sriya Yammanur defeated Katana Phangchanthong 8-3, and Faeven Gebremariam beat Bella Dodds, 8-0.

The No. 5 singles match between Fairfield’s Tula Sorflaten and Mt. Pleasant’s Liana Phangchanthong went right down to the wire, with Sorflaten winning 9-7. Soumya Mallick defeated Shaye Barbee, 8-5, to make it six singles wins for the Trojans.

Fairfield took two doubles matches. The No. 1 team of Ross and Yammanur beat Cook and Dodds 8-1, and the No. 3 team of Sorflaten and Aubrey Ryan defeated Lianah Phangchanthong and Barbee 8-4.

The lone win for Mt. Pleasant went to the No. 2 doubles team of Gray and Katana Phangchanthong 9-7.

Fairfield followed that win with a second-place finish at the Burlington tournament on Saturday. The Trojans scored 26 points, which was six behind Pleasant Valley but four above hosting Burlington.

The Trojans (8-0) and Grayhounds (7-1) went at it with the SEC title on the line in Fairfield on Monday evening. That game is finishing later than presstime and will be in Thursday’s edition of the Union.

Fairfield and Mt. Pleasant (3-5) will both be in Burlington on Wednesday for the SEC tournament.