Elon Women’s Tennis Phoenix Heads to Virginia to Face Richmond, VCU

ELON, N.C. – After picking up its first road win last week, the Elon University women’s tennis team looks to build on that success this weekend when it travels to Virginia to play Richmond and 42nd-ranked Virginia Commonwealth.

The Phoenix will take on Richmond at 2 p.m. on Friday, March 3, and will battle No. 42 VCU at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 4.

LAST TIME OUT
Elon improved to 8-4 by winning its first road match of the season last Saturday, Feb. 25, a 5-2 decision at UNC Wilmington. Alex Koniaev and Maria Paraja clinched the doubles point at the No. 1 position with a 7-5 victory. Paraja, Suzanne Zenoni, Olivia Lucas and Kirsten Ward picked up singles victories to seal the match.

SERIES HISTORY
Elon has faced Richmond just once as a Division I program. The Phoenix defeated the Spiders 6-1 at Elon in the 2013 season.

Saturday’s match will mark the first-ever matchup between Elon and VCU.

FINDING THEIR GROOVE
The doubles duos of Ward and Zenoni, as well as Lucas and Erica Braschi, are off to a 5-3 start in dual matches, the best mark of any Phoenix pairing.

Paraja is tops on the team with eight singles wins this season, four of which have come at the No. 4 position. Koniaev and Zenoni are close behind Paraja with seven singles victories.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Richmond is 3-3 this season. All three of their wins have come at home. The Spiders last played on Sunday, Feb. 19, defeating UNC Greensboro 5-2.

VCU has a record of 8-2 and is 7-2 on its home court. The Rams have won four of their last five matches and each of their last two. VCU most recently posted back-to-back wins against Saint Louis and East Carolina Feb. 24-25.

HEAD COACH ELIZABETH ANDERSON
Elizabeth Anderson is entering her 13th season as head coach of the Phoenix. Anderson earned her first-ever year accolade, after she was named the 2016 CAA Coach of the Year. She has led Elon to five straight seasons of 14 or more wins and guided the program to its first NCAA Tournament in 2014.

UP NEXT
Following this weekend’s trip to Virginia, Elon returns home for a five-match homestand that begins with a match against UNC Greensboro March 7.