Crist and Thong Garner Doubles Recognition
1/6/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
With the Lady Flames' spring season scheduled to begin on Jan. 16, the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) has released its national and regional rankings.
Evangeline Crist and Valerie Thong have been 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 ranked to begin competition. In 2015, Thong was joined by teammate Emily Groeneveld as the No. 7 doubles squad in the region as well as No. 57 overall.
Crist and Thong proved to be a force last season, notching 22 doubles victories and setting a new Liberty record for most team wins in a single season. Crist finished the season with 27 doubles wins throughout the fall and spring season, setting a new program record for most doubles wins in a single season. Thong finished the year with 26 doubles wins.
Thong won 11 doubles events in the fall season and now needs just six doubles wins this spring to become Liberty's all-time winningest doubles player. Crist also accounted for 11 fall victories in doubles competition.
The doubles tandem looks to guide the Lady Flames to their sixth consecutive double-digit wins season, with hopes of hoisting the Big South trophy this April. Liberty begins its season on Jan. 16 against Wofford at noon inside the Sports Racket in Lynchburg, Va.
