Furman 6, Cal State Fullerton 1
SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The Furman women’s tennis team opened its Spring Break trip to California with a 6-1 win over Cal State Fullerton Tuesday at the Skip and Cindy Hogan Tennis Center in San Diego, Calif. With the win, the Paladins extended their winning streak to four matches and have now won six of their last seven matches.
In doubles play, junior Kelly Sullivan and freshman Karlee Bryde teamed up for an 8-3 victory over Megan Sandford and Melanie Abella at flight three, then the freshman duo of Ansley Speaks and Blair Martin registered an 8-2 win versus Alexis Valenzuela and Kalika Slevcove in the number two match-up to grab the opening point for the Paladins. The flight one match was unfinished.
Furman was victorious in five out of six singles matches, as Speaks defeated Morgan McIntosh, 6-1, 6-2, at flight two, and Bryde beat Camille De Leon at number three, 6-4, 2-6, 10-1. Senior Katherine Oudin claimed a win at flight four, topping Sandford, 6-2, 6-0, while Sullivan held on for a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4, advantage against Slevcove at number five. In the flight six contest, senior Margaret Boyette bested Jessica Pepa, 6-1, 6-2.
“We competed well today,” said Furman head coach Debbie Southern following the match. “We stayed in the points longer than Cal State Fullerton, overall, and the girls did a good job of sticking to our game plan.”
Furman (7-3) will compete at UC Irvine on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. before concluding the California trip with a match at San Diego on Friday.
The Paladins open the 2014 Southern Conference season at Elon on March 21 then play at UNC Greensboro on March 22. Furman concludes the road swing at Western Carolina on March 25. The Paladins’ next home match is March 26 versus Appalachian State at the Mickel Tennis Center.
Elon 6, Gardner-Webb 1
ELON, N.C. – The Elon University women's tennis team picked up its seventh consecutive win today, March 11, with a 6-1 victory over the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center.
"We learned a lot from today's match and I think it will help us adjust a couple things in our favor," said Elon head coach Elizabeth Anderson. "Overall it was a good day for us and we're ready to get to conference play Saturday against Davidson."
Barbora Lazarova clinched the victory for the Phoenix with a 6-0, 6-0 sweep of Jenny Lunde on court No. 2. The first three Elon players finished their matches in less than one hour, as Bryn Khoury breezed to a 6-1, 6-0 win on court No. 3 and Maria Camara Ruiz topped Catherine White on court No. 6, 6-0, 6-2.
Both Frida Jansaker and Taylor Casey found themselves in battles on court Nos. 1 and 4, respectively, but each prevailed to help the Phoenix pick up the six points. Both players earned their win with victories in second set tiebreakers.
Tolley Rice was the only Elon player to go to a third set super tiebreaker. The freshman won the first set before dropping the second set and the super tiebreaker to lose her first match of the season.
The Phoenix got on the board first in winning the doubles point by taking each of the doubles matches by a score of 8-4. Lazarova and Jordan Johnston got Elon halfway to the point before Camara Ruiz and Rice finished seconds later to clinch the point for the Phoenix.
Elon returns to conference action this weekend, Saturday, March 15, on the road against the Davidson Wildcats at 1 p.m. before finishing the nonconference slate Sunday, March 16, at Wake Forest.