Elon Women’s Tennis Drops 4-3 Decision to Furman

ELON, N.C. – The Elon University women’s tennis team battled hard, but came up just short against Furman on Saturday, March 31, as the Phoenix dropped a 4-3 decision to the Paladins at The Jimmy Powell Tennis Center.

Elon falls to 13-6 overall and 4-3 in the Southern Conference with the loss, while Furman improves to 11-7 (6-0 SoCon).

The Phoenix claimed an early 1-0 advantage after taking two out of three doubles matches to win the point. Jordan Johnston and Frida Jansaker shined in the top spot, claiming an 8-6 win over Furman’s Alex Moreno-Kaste and Michele Stanford. Johnston and Jansaker have now won six straight and improve to 16-2 on the year with the win.

Briana Berne and Viviana Stavreva clinched the doubles point for the maroon and gold at No. 3 doubles, as the duo registered a hard-fought 8-5 victory over the Paladins’ Kelly Sullivan and Lauren Kline. Rookies Maria Camara Ruiz and Barbora Lazarova fell just short at No. 2, dropping a tought 10-8 decision to Furman’s Margaret Boyette and Katherine Oudin.

But the Paladins stormed back to take a 3-1 match lead after winning the first three singles matches at numbers two, three and five.

Jansaker helped limit the deficit to one, 3-2, after an impressive performance at No. 4 singles. Jansaker topped Furman’s Margaret Boyette, 6-4, 6-3, to give the Phoenix momentum. Jansaker has won 13 of her last 14 matches in singles play.

Johnston needed three sets to knot the match at 3-all at No. 1 singles. Johnston claimed a dominant 6-1 win in the first set against Lauren Kline, but dropped the second set, 6-3, to force a decisive third set. The sophomore from Snellville, Ga., rebounded for an impressive 6-2 victory to bring the Phoenix back.

Camara Ruiz battled through a tough match at No. 6 singles that nearly pushed it to a third set, but the rookie dropped a hard-fought 6-2, 7-5 decision to Amanda Murray that clinched the victory for the Paladins.

Elon returns to The Jimmy Powell Tennis Center tomorrow at 1 p.m. versus Wofford.