Elon 7, North Carolina Central 0
Elon 7, North Carolina A&T 0
ELON, N.C. - The Elon women's tennis team rolled to back-to-back 7-0 victories over North Carolina Central and North Carolina A&T in dual action on Saturday at The Jimmy Powell Tennis Center. The Phoenix won all 12 singles matches on the afternoon, including 11 in straight sets.
Elon earned the team doubles point in both matches, winning five of the six bouts. Elisa Simonetti and Anna Milian opened the day with an 8-1 victory over Kateryna Chorna and Olesya Palko at the top position. Milian paired with Jess Margolis for her second match of the day, topping A&T's Azeib Nigatu and Danielle McCaskill, 8-3, at number three.
Senior Laura Graybill and rookie Briana Berne teamed for two victories, defeating Central's Tatiana Velasquez and Maria Medina, 8-1, and A&T's Winnie Quick and Cayla Cross, 8-5. Elon's Paige Kensrue and Daleen Kloppers played at number one against A&T, earning an 8-2 win over Jaymee Jones and Nianna Henry.
In singles, Laura Sessoms dropped only three total games in her two matches. Sessoms defeated Henry, 6-1, 6-1 and Ashley Rogers, 6-1, 6-0. Graybill had little trouble in her morning match against Central, rolling to a 6-1, 6-1 win over Velasquez. She finished the day with a 6-4, 7-6 (1) win against Cross.
Berne finished strong in both of her matches, rebounding for wins after giving up a set in each match. She defeated Chorna, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 1-0 (7) and then posted a 6-1, 3-6, 1-0 (9) win over Jones. Kloppers, Milian, Margolis, Kensrue and Hayley Wahl also recorded victories in their matches.
The Phoenix will face Virginia Tech and Radford later this week in Blacksburg, Va. Elon will begin with a match against the host Hokies on Wednesday, January 27 at 6 p.m.
Coastal Carolina 7, Appalachian State 0
CONWAY, S.C.- Appalachian State University women's tennis was unable to hang with Coastal Carolina Saturday morning in the Mountaineer's season-openeing match, as the Apps fell 7-0 to the Chanticleers. With the loss, ASU drops to 0-1 on the young season while CCU improves to 1-0.
The match got off to a shaky start as Appalachian was defeated in all three doubles matches.
At the number one doubles spot, the duo of Olivia Stannard and Ellie Linsell fell 8-6 to Lexi Bolesky and Miki Bunea, while Blakeley Bean and Gisela Fernandez suffered an 8-4 loss at the number two doubles position.
The team of Laura Janke and Jennifer Ansari rounded out doubles action, losing 8-0 to their competition.
Things did not get much easier for the Black and Gold, as Coastal Carolina defeated ASU in all six singles matches as well.
Despite a strong effort, Linsell came up just short to Bolesky at the number one singles spot, falling in three tough sets, 6-3, 1-6, 1-6. Ansari lost to her opponent as well, losing in two sets at the number two position.
Caroline Mauch, Gisela Fernandez and Bean were all handed losses as well at the number three, four and five spots, while Janke capped off singles action, losing 0-6, 0-6 to Mary Hill.
With a quick turnaround, Appalachian returns to action Sunday January 24, traveling to Greensboro, N.C. to take on NC A&T with the match slated to begin at Noon.
Winthrop 4, Furman 3
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- The Furman women's tennis team, ranked 72nd nationally, won the doubles point to open the match before Winthrop took four singles matches for a 4-3 win over the Paladins Saturday afternoon at the Mickel Tennis Center.
Paladin junior Monica Arguello and freshman Lauren Kline teamed up for a 8-3 win over Elizabeta Zaytseva and Yasmine Elizaveta at number one doubles, while Furman senior Jessica Preeg and rookie Olivia Maurice clinched the doubles point with an 8-6 win over Lisa Wilkinson and Paula Pereira in the third doubles spot. The Eagles' Sandra Herrera and Giovanna Portioli picked up an 8-5 win over Paladin junior Jennifer Betts and freshman Michele Stanford at number two doubles.
In singles action, Furman's Arguello defeated Zaytseva 6-3, 6-2 at number one singles, while sophomore Susan Bitetti added an additional point for the Paladins with a 4-6, 6-0, 7-5 win over Wilkinson.
Winthrop picked up singles wins from Alkema, with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 win over Kline at number two singles, and Herrera, with a 4-6, 6-7, 8-6 win over Preeg at number three. Pereira sealed the win for the Eagles with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Betts in the number six singles position.
Furman (1-0) will play at South Carolina on Tuesday at 5 p.m.
Clemson 7, College of Charleston 0
CLEMSON, S.C. - College of Charleston women's tennis fell to 14th-ranked Clemson on Saturday afternoon in the team's second road game of the season. The Tigers swept the Cougars, 7-0, at the Clemson Indoor Tennis Center.
Clemson (1-0) won the doubles point by sweeping all three matches. Sophomore Caroline Newman and freshman Irene Viana won two sets against Estefania Balda and Josipa Bek, before falling 8-2. Top-seeded Holly Dowse and Emma Hayman and No. 2 Kinsey Casey and Keely Mulligan each took a set from their opponents, losing 8-1.
Dowse faced the ninth-ranked player in the nation in Bek, who earned a 6-4, 6-1 victory, in the top flight. At the No. 3 spot, Casey, who is ranked 102nd in singles competition, was upset by No. 113 Ina Hadziselimovic, 6-0, 6-1. In the fourth flight, Newman battled back against 61st-ranked Nelly Ciolkowski after dropping the first set 6-0. After staying close throughout the second set, she eventually yielded a 7-6 decision.
The Cougars (0-2) continue on the seven-game road trip that opens their 2010 season. Their next stop is Deland, Fla., where they will face Stetson on Feb. 19 at 1 p.m.