Furman 7, Elon 0
ELON, N.C. ? Furman ? the seven-time defending Southern Conference champion ? opened league play with a 7-0 women’s tennis victory over Elon Saturday afternoon at The Olde Forest Racquet Club.
The Lady Paladins (6-5 overall, 1-0 Southern Conference) swept all nine matches from the Phoenix (6-6, 1-2). The contest began at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center on the Elon campus, but was moved indoors due to thunderstorms early in singles play.
In doubles action, the No. 28 team of Laura Gioia and Marti Morris decisioned Evin Prelec and Kelly Fleck 8-4 at No. 1, Lauren Osborne and Jacqueline Eckert toppled Elizabeth Kernodle and Melissa Holland 8-5 at No. 2 and Shannon Moore and Lisa Bornt-Davis downed Whitney Butcher and Alli Benton 8-3 at No. 3.
Furman received singles wins from Gioia (6-1, 6-0 over Prelec) at No. 1, Morris (7-6 (5), 6-1 over Fleck) at No. 2, Osborne (6-1, 6-0 over Kernodle) at No. 3, Moore (6-1, 6-2 over Butcher) at No. 4, Bonnie Baird (6-1, 6-2 over Holland) at No. 5 and Lauren Tomory (6-1, 6-0 over Benton) at No. 6.
The Lady Paladins visit UNC Greensboro at 11 a.m. Sunday while Elon will visit the Spartans at 3 p.m. Tuesday.
Chattanooga 6, Western Kentucky 1
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- The women’s tennis team got back on the winning track Saturday with a 6-1 victory over Western Kentucky.
The win snapped the Lady Mocs’ two-game losing skid and improved their record to 3-8.
Anastasia Zhukova remained undefeated in the dual season with a 6-1, 6-0 win at No. 1 singles. Zhukova, who is ranked 100th in the ITA National Collegiate Rankings, ran her record to a perfect 11-0.
Also notching singles wins were Lindsey Ballard at No. 2, Talita Bragato at No. 3, Emily Harpe at No. 5 and Maureen Parris at No. 6.
Bragato won in straight sets while Ballard and Harpe earned three-set victories.
UTC swept the doubles competition for the doubles point.
WKU’s only victory came at No. 4 singles as Whitney Robards got past Bonnie Adams in three sets, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. The Hilltoppers fall to 2-5 on the season.
UTC returns to action Sunday, hosting Birmingham-Southern at 1 p.m. at the UTC Tennis Complex. Admission is free.
Chattanooga women 6, Western Kentucky 1
March 11, UTC Tennis Complex, Chattanooga, Tenn.
Doubles (for one team point)
No. 1 ? Ballard/Zhukova (UTC) d. Fulkerson/Robards (WKU), 8-1
No. 2 ? Harpe/Knizat (UTC) d. Balcus/Rozentale (WKU), 8-6
No. 3 ? Adams/Parris (UTC) d. Caffey/Hall (WKU), 8-4
Singles
No. 1 ? No. 100 Anastasia Zhukova (UTC) d. Christina Hall (WKU), 6-1, 6-0
No. 2 ? Lindsey Ballard (UTC) d. Erin Fulkerson (WKU), 4-6, 6-3, 10-8
No. 3 ? Talita Bragato (UTC) d. Ilze Rozentale (WKU), 6-1, 6-0
No. 4 ? Whitney Robards (WKU) d. Bonnie Adams (UTC), 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
No. 5 ? Emily Harpe (UTC) d. Ieva Balcus (WKU), 6-2, 3-6, 7-5
No. 6 ? Maureen Parris (UTC) d. Laura Caffey (WKU), 6-2, 6-3
Team records: UTC (3-8); Western Kentucky (2-5)