Elon women's tennis picks up win at UNCG

The Elon University women’s tennis team rolled to a 6-1 win against the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in its final road match of the regular season April 10 at the UNCG Tennis Courts in Greensboro, N.C.

The Phoenix began the match down 1-0 after losing the doubles point, but did not lose a singles match en route to the victory.

Elon lost doubles matches on courts No. 1 and 3, marking the fourth straight match that the doubles point has gone in favor of the opposing team.  Senior Bryn Khoury and sophomore Taylor Casey were defeated, 8-3, on court No. 3 by junior Stephanie Falcon and sophomore Jamie Grinberg to begin play, and an 8-5 loss by Elon’s top duo of senior Jordan Johnston and junior Barbora Lazarova on court No. 1 sealed the point for the Spartans. 

The Phoenix was able to bounce back in a big way during singles play and picked up two quick wins to take a 2-1 lead.  Khoury earned Elon’s first point of the afternoon on court No. 3, where she toppled junior Kayla Gammie in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4.  Freshman Tolley Rice, in action for the second consecutive match, took care of business quickly as well by ousting sophomore Amy Ellis, 6-4, 6-2, on court No. 6.

All four of the remaining singles matches had to be decided in three sets, and Elon came out on the winning end of all four.

Johnston pulled out a 7-6 first set win on court No. 1, but dropped the second set, 3-6.  The senior then won the third set, 6-3, to win the match and give the Phoenix a 3-1 lead.  Junior Maria Camara Ruiz battled Grinberg on court No. 5, where she dropped the first set, 6-7.  Camara Ruiz then won the next two sets, 6-3, 6-2, to clinch the match for the Phoenix.

Leading 4-1, Jansaker and Lazarova each finished off their victories on courts No. 2 and 4 to give Elon the 6-1 win and avoid a third straight loss.

The Phoenix improves to 11-8 and 5-3 in the Southern Conference with the win.  Elon entered the match tied for fourth place in the SoCon with UNCG and moves into sole possession of fourth with the victory.

Elon will close out the regular season with its final home match on senior day, April 12 at 1 p.m. against Western Carolina University at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center.  The team will honor its three seniors — Johnston, Jansaker and Khoury — prior to the match.