Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3

HARROGATE, TN | The Young Harris College Women's Tennis team opened the 2026 season by winning one of three matches over a competitive opening weekend, highlighted by a 5-2 victory over Tusculum University. 

The Mountain Lions rebounded from dropping the doubles point in match one and showcased depth in singles play throughout the weekend, narrowly falling 3-4 to both Lincoln Memorial and Carson-Newman. 

Match One: Young Harris 5, Tusculum 2 

Despite Maud Scholten and Futaba Saito earning a 6-3 win at doubles, Tusculum claimed the doubles point to take an early 1-0 lead. From there, the Mountain Lions took control in singles action. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• Maud Scholten rolled to a 6-0 victory before her opponent retired. 

• Futaba Saito battled back to win a three-set thriller (5-7, 6-3, 10-6). 

• Tuva Asplund earned a straight-set win (7-5, 6-4). 

• Viviana Gomez dominated (6-0, 6-1). 

• Lexie Gillespie secured a (6-2, 6-2) victory. 

• Young Harris claimed five singles courts to seal the 5-2 season-opening win. 

Match Two: Lincoln Memorial 4, Young Harris 3 

The Mountain Lions pushed Lincoln Memorial to the brink in Harrogate, Tenn., earning the doubles point and two key singles victories before falling just short. 

Young Harris captured the doubles point behind wins from Saito/Scholten (6-1) at No. 1 and Asplund/Stanfield (6-4) at No. 3. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• Futaba Saito cruised at No. 1 singles (6-1, 6-4). 

• Maud Scholten earned a straight-set victory at No. 2 (6-4, 6-3). 

• The match ultimately came down to tightly contested three-set battles at No. 3 and No. 4 singles. With Holly Ashford and Tuva Asplund fighting hard before coming up just short. 

• Lincoln Memorial secured the final deciding point to edge Young Harris 4-3. 

Match Three: Carson-Newman 4, Young Harris 3 

In another tightly contested match, the Mountain Lions again fell just one point shy. 

Saito and Scholten continued their strong doubles play with a 7-5 win, but Carson-Newman took the doubles point. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• Maud Scholten won (6-1, 7-5) in singles. 

• Viviana Gomez earned a (7-5, 6-2) victory. 

• Lexie Gillespie secured a (6-2, 7-5) win. 

• Young Harris split singles courts evenly, but the Eagles claimed the deciding match to hand the Mountain Lions a narrow 4-3 defeat. 

UP NEXT:

The Mountain Lions look to build on a competitive opening weekend as they start Conference Carolinas play this Saturday (Feb. 21) in Tigerville, South Carolina versus NGU.