Hokies Handle Elon Women’s Tennis Phoenix in 2014 Season Opener

BLACKSBURG, Va. – The Elon University women’s tennis team dropped its season opener Saturday, Jan. 18, on the road against 54th-ranked Virginia Tech by a score of 6-1 at the Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center.

The 74th-ranked Phoenix dropped the doubles point and the first three singles matches to give the Hokies the victory before Barbora Lazarova earned Elon’s only point with a come-from-behind win against Raluca Mita on court No. 4.

“The team competed hard against a very good Virginia Tech team,” said Elon head coach Elizabeth Anderson. “I was very proud of Barbora and the positive determination she displayed to come back and win her match. We are looking forward to several good days of practice to get ready for our opportunities ahead.”

Virginia Tech stormed out to a 1-0 lead by taking the doubles point with wins on courts No. 2 and 3. The pairing of Bryn Khoury and Viviana Stavreva kept the set close by battling Tea Ivanovic and Sansitha Nandakumar to a 3-all tie on court No. 3, but the Virginia Tech duo won the next three games to close the set.

Francesca Fusinato and Ilinca Stoica quickly followed Ivanovic and Nandakumar by topping Maria Camara Ruiz and Taylor Casey on court No. 3 to seal the point.

Khoury struggled to find her groove on singles court No. 3 against Kelly Williford, falling to the sophomore 6-2, 6-1. After taking the first set on court No. 5, Casey dropped the second set and ultimately lost the tiebreaker to Carol Kahoun to give the Hokies a 3-0 lead.

Nandakumar clinched the win for Virginia Tech on court No. 6 by topping Camara Ruiz 6-2, 6-3.

Finishing out the remaining matches, Jordan Johnston, the 69th-ranked player in the country, won her first set on court No. 1, but Stoica eased to a second-set win and emerged the winner by taking the tiebreaker 7-3 over Johnston.

Frida Jansaker struggled in her first set against Fusinato, the 82nd-ranked player in the nation, but battled the freshman to 5-all in the second set on court No. 2 before Fusinato broke Jansaker late to pick up her first collegiate victory.

Next on the schedule for the Phoenix is a trip just down the road to Chapel Hill, N.C. Wednesday, Jan. 22, to take on third-ranked North Carolina at 2 p.m. The match against the Tar Heels is the second of four straight matches to start the season against nationally ranked opponents.