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Liberty University
Radford
Liberty Defeats Radford in Mid-Week Conference Tilt
3/15/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
The Liberty Lady Flames tennis squad defeated Radford by a score of 6-1 in Tuesday's Big South Conference match in Radford, Va.
With the victory, the Lady Flames improved to 7-8 on the year and starts conference play 3-0 in for the second consecutive season. Meanwhile, the Highlanders fall to 1-9 and 1-4 in Big South action.
For the ninth match in a row and 11th time in the last 12 contests, the Lady Flames secured the doubles point for an early 1-0 advantage. Liberty claimed the No. 1 and No. 3 doubles slot to do so.
Evangeline Crist and Valerie Thong improved to 11-3 as a doubles tandem this season, taking down Tarrannum Handa and Meili Martin by a score of 6-1 in the No. 1 doubles slot.
Following Radford's 6-3 victory in the No. 2 doubles position, freshman duo Rebekah Anderson and Aleksandra Panchenko clinched the doubles point for the Lady Flames, defeating Taylor Fay and Claire Nguyen by a score of 6-3.
Liberty then jumped out to claim the first four singles matches, claiming a 5-0 lead and the victory. Belen Rivera began singles action with a commanding 6-0, 6-1 victory over Grace Sarver from the No. 4 singles position. With the victory, Rivera notched her 56th career singles victory, pushing her ahead of Jonita Randolph for the fifth-most singles wins in program history.
Liberty's overall lead was extended to 3-0 when two-time Big South Freshman of the Week Anna Dollar defeated Handa in straight sets 6-0, 6-1 from the No. 2 singles spot.
The match was clinched for the Lady Flames when Crist secured a convincing 6-2, 6-0 victory over Martin from the No. 3 singles position to pull Liberty ahead, 4-0.
The Lady Flames added to the 4-0 lead by winning two of the final three matches, bringing the final score to 6-1. Maria Khval and Mariely Hassey won their respective singles matches. Khval's victory tied her with Rivera for fifth-most all-time singles wins in program history with 56.
Radford's lone victory came from the No. 6 singles position when Karlie Pope defeated Rebekah Anderson in three sets.
"We had a rough start in doubles but rebounded to produce good starts to singles," stated head coach Jeff Maren. "I was especially proud of our grit and our ability to finish points."
The Lady Flames return to action this weekend when Liberty hosts a pair of conference opponents. The Lady Flames will take on Gardner-Webb on Friday at 2 p.m., serving as Senior Day for Thong and Rivera. Liberty will then battle No. 53 Winthrop on Saturday at 10 a.m. Both matches will be played at the Cook Tennis Center, weather permitting.
Liberty 6, Radford 1
Doubles
- Crist/Thong (LU) def. Handa/Martin (RU), 6-1
- Sayer/Sarver (RU) def. Dollar/Khval (LU), 6-3
- Anderson/Panchenko (LU) def. Fay/Nguyen (RU), 6-3
Singles
- Khval (LU) def. Sayer (RU), 3-6, 6-3, 10-5
- Dollar (LU) def. Handa (RU), 6-0, 6-1
- Crist (LU) def. Martin (RU), 6-2, 6-0
- Rivera (LU) def. Sarver (RU), 6-0, 6-1
- Hassey (LU) def. Fay (RU), 6-3, 6-1
- Pope (RU) def. Anderson (LU), 0-6, 6-2, 10-4
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
1,2,3
#1 Singles Match
#2 Singles Match
#3 Singles Match
#4 Singles Match
#5 Singles Match
#6 Singles Match
Order of Finish:
4,2,3,5,6,1