East Carolina’s Late Comeback Ends Elon Women’s Tennis Win Streak

GREENVILLE, N.C. – Elon University women’s tennis had its four-match winning streak snapped on Thursday, April 5, as East Carolina came out with a narrow come-from-behind 4-3 victory at the River Birch Tennis Complex.

RESULTS

The Phoenix (12-10) battled back after dropping a tight doubles point to take a 3-2 lead in the match. However, the Pirates (13-8) came back to defeat Elon, earning victories on courts six and one to take the 4-3 win. Suzanne Zenoni was the spotlight for the maroon and gold with wins in both singles and doubles action.

Elon also had great singles performances from Alex Koniaev and Maria Paraja, as their singles matches pushed the Phoenix out to a 3-2 lead in the contest. Lisa Hofbauer’s victory at the No. 1 position sealed East Carolina’s late 4-3 comeback victory.

HIGHLIGHTS
Elon took the early advantage in doubles as Kirsten Ward and Zenoni claimed a 6-3 victory on court three. East Carolina then came back to snatch the doubles point with victories on courts one and two, taking the 1-0 lead in the match.

After Alisa Diercksen and Lisa Hofbauer claimed a 6-1 victory on court one, Hsia Ho Chiao and Nastja Rettich outlasted Erica Braschi and Olivia Lucas in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (8-6), to clinch the doubles point.

Zenoni got the Phoenix off to a good start in singles, completing her perfect afternoon with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Sarah Sarjoo at the No. 3 position to tie up the match.

After Nastja Rettich regained ECU’s lead 2-1 with a win on court two, Paraja leveled the match 2-2, defeating Alisa Diercksen 7-5, 6-2 heading into the final three singles matches. Koniaev then provided Elon its first lead in the match, 3-2, at the No. 5 singles position, defeating Annija Veinsteina, 6-4, 7-5.

East Carolina began its comeback with Chiao, as she battled past Ward at the No. 6 position 7-6 (7-4), 6-4, tying up the match at 3-3 with court one’s match remaining.

In the final singles match, Lucas took the first set in her match for Elon at the No. 1 position, 6-3. Undaunted, Hofbauer fought back, winning the second set to force a third set, and then outlasted Lucas in a tiebreaker 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-1) to clinch the win for the Pirates.

UP NEXT
The Phoenix returns home for the first time in two weeks on Saturday, April 7, hosting Richmond at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center. First serve is scheduled for noon.