CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Despite coming back late to tie the match, the Elon University women’s tennis team dropped a 4-3 decision to the Chattanooga Lady Mocs today, March 20, at the UTC Tennis Center.
Elon drops to 12-5 overall and 3-2 in Southern Conference play with the setback, while UTC improves to 10-3 (2-2 SoCon) with the win.
After dropping the singles point, the Phoenix came back to tie the match at 2-all after taking two out of the first three singles matches. Rookie Barbora Lazarova, playing at No. 2 singles for the fourth straight match due to Bryn Khoury’s injury, claimed an impressive 6-1, 6-1 win over UTC’s Alexa Flynn.
But the Lady Mocs came back to take a 2-1 advantage after Shaina Singh defeated Briana Berne in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4 to put UTC ahead.
However, Maria Camara Ruiz helped make tie the match at 2-all at No. 5 singles after downing Chattanooga’s Claire Mulyadi with a 6-2, 6-2 victory.
But the Phoenix suffered defeats at No. 3 and 4 singles to allow the Lady Mocs to take a 4-2 lead and clinch the win down the stretch. Frida Jansaker dropped a hard-fought 7-5, 6-3 decision to UTC’s Kaylene Chadwell at No. 3, while Viviana Stavreva suffered a 6-3, 6-2 loss to Emily Hangstefer at No. 4. The loss for Jansaker snaps the sophomore’s 11-match winning streak and is her first setback in singles since Jan. 28.
Jordan Johnston was victorious at No. 1 for the sixth straight match after coming back for a three-set win (4-6, 6-3, 6-4) versus Jenna Nurik. Johnston and Jansaker also won their doubles match against Chadwell and Flynn, 8-5, to improve to 14-2 on the year.
Elon returns to action at home on March 26 when the Phoenix hosts Georgia Southern at 2 p.m.