Mo'ne Davis drops in on Freedoms match

At Freedoms matches, team owner Billie Jean King regularly watches from the far edge of the home team's bench. On Monday night, a pioneer of women's sports was joined by Mo'ne Davis, in her own way an emerging pioneer.

King broke onto the tennis scene in 1959, competing in the U.S. Open at age 15. Davis was thrust into the spotlight last summer playing for Philadelphia's Taney Dragons in the Little League World Series.

"At my age usually you just hang out with friends and just play sports," said Davis, now 14. "You usually don't become a role model at such a young age."

Davis' most recent romp in the spotlight included winning the ESPY for best breakout athlete last week in Los Angeles. At Villanova University's Pavilion, Davis added another accolade to her growing resumé: honorary Freedom.

Davis didn't say much given the change of venue, but she watched the match with rapt attention next to King on the Freedoms' bench.

"You're a woman of few words, if I do say so, but your actions speak very loud," King said. "It's very important that people like Mo'ne do well and show that girls and boys should be in sports and have passions and follow their dreams."

Originally, another female star, Serena Williams, was supposed to headline the night. The newly crowned Wimbledon champion had planned to play for the visiting Washington Kastles (4-3) but withdrew, citing an elbow injury.

The Freedoms (2-6) recorded their first win over the Kastles in three meetings with a 18-16 victory.

They sealed the win in the final match when Marcelo Melo and Taylor Townsend defeated Washington's Leander Paes and Anastasia Rodionova, 5-1.

Robby Ginepri of the Freedoms fell to Sam Querrey, 5-2, in men's singles. On the women's side, Townsend defeated Madison Brengle, 5-1, to give the Freedoms a 7-6 lead.

Melo joined Ginepri for doubles to take down Querrey and Paes, 5-4, in a tiebreaker. The Freedoms' momentum slowed in women's doubles, as Townsend and Abigail Spears fell, 5-1, to Brengle and Rodionova.