Lady Flames Open Spring Competition, Saturday
1/14/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
The Liberty women's tennis team begins its regular season this weekend with a noon match against Wofford on Saturday at the Sports Racket in Lynchburg, Va.
The Lady Flames bested the Terriers, 6-1, one year ago on Saturday to begin the 2015 spring season. The contest was played at the Sports Racket and featured Liberty's first-ever victory over Wofford. With a win Saturday, Liberty would even the all-time series at 2-2.
Liberty is coming off a strong 2015 season in which the Lady Flames reached 19 wins, marking the most victories in program history. Liberty also won seven conference matches for the second consecutive season. The Lady Flames return seven members from the 2015 squad, while welcoming a talented class of three freshmen.
The Terriers finished the 2015 spring campaign with a 9-11 overall mark. Wofford returns eight of last year's nine players on the roster, welcoming two newcomers to the 2016 squad.
Chasing History
Belen Rivera and Maria Khval continue to climb up the program's all-time singles wins ladder. Rivera currently ranks sixth in all-time in singles wins with 50, while Khval ranks eighth with 47. Valerie Thong continues to improve her rankings in doubles action, notching 11 fall victories to move the senior into a tie for the second most all-time doubles wins in program history with 73. Thong needs just six doubles wins this spring to pass Jordan Jenkins for the most in school history.
Double Trouble
Thong and sophomore Evangeline Crist garnered doubles recognition on Jan. 6, being tabbed as the No. 8 regional doubles tandem in the Atlantic Region. The No. 8 ranking marks the second consecutive season that Thong has been featured among the Atlantic Region Top 10 doubles squads. Thong and Crist captured 11 doubles wins this past fall, complementing their record-setting 22 doubles wins in the 2015 spring season.
Following Saturday's match, the Lady Flames will return to action on Jan. 22 & 23. Liberty will take on Xavier on Jan. 22 at 6 p.m. in Cincinnati, Ohio. The following day, the Lady Flames have a 3 p.m. bout with host Cincinnati.
