The Elon University women’s tennis team opened up play at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center on Tuesday, Jan. 20 against South Carolina State University.
The Phoenix earned its first victory of the season in a 6-1 win over the Bulldogs. The match moves Elon to 1-1 to start the spring season.
In the first singles match of the day, senior Barbora Lazarova defeated bulldog sophomore Andjela Vasic in a quick two-set 6-2, 6-2 match. Freshman Erica Braschi put together an impressive showing of her own in a 6-1, 6-4 victory over SC State sophomore Oleksandra Fillippova.
Phoenix senior Maria Camara Ruiz clinched the win for Elon in her decisive 6-3, 6-0 showing against freshman Claudia Roca. Following Ruiz’s victory was freshman Kamilla Beisenova who put together an enduring match against sophomore Marketa Marcanikova after coming from behind in a 2-6, 6-1, 1-0 (10-1) winning decision.
The only loss of the day for Elon came at the No. 1 singles match in which SC State sophomore Intissar Rassif defeated freshman Olivia Lucas 7-5, 7-6, (7-3).
Earlier, the Phoenix won two out three in the doubles matches to add to its margin of victory as junior Taylor Casey and Olivia Lucas won a 6-3 match over Claudia Roca and Marketa Marcanikova while freshman Kamilla Beisenova and Erica Braschi came out on top against Andjela Vasic and Oleksandra Fillipova.
Elon’s next match will take place in Gainesville, Florida against the third-ranked University of Florida Gators in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Kickoff Weekend on Jan. 24-25. Its match on the 25th is to be determined against either the University of Maryland or Georgia State University.