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Liberty University
Gardner-Webb
Lady Flames Notch Convincing Win on Senior Day
3/18/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
The Liberty Lady Flames tennis squad defeated Gardner-Webb in convincing fashion on Friday afternoon by the score of 7-0 at the Cook Tennis Center. Friday's match served as Senior Day for Belen Rivera and Valerie Thong, both of which finished undefeated during the event.
With the victory, the Lady Flames improved to 8-8 on the year and 4-0 in conference play for the second consecutive season. Meanwhile, Gardner-Webb falls to 4-9 and 1-3 in Big South action.
For the 10th match in a row and 12th time in the last 13 contests, the Lady Flames secured the doubles point and an early 1-0 advantage. Liberty swept the doubles competition en route to the 1-0 lead.
Evangeline Crist and Thong improved to 12-3 as a doubles tandem this season, defeating Stina Magnusson and Sandra Bolstad in the No. 1 doubles slot, 6-0.
The duo of Anna Dollar and Maria Khval clinched the doubles point for the Lady Flames, besting Rokia Sacko and Mary Walker Mixon by a score of 6-1 from the No. 2 doubles position.
The freshman doubles tandem of Rebekah Anderson and Aleksandra Panchenko improved to 9-1, earning their seventh consecutive victory. Anderson and Panchenko upended Catherine White and Sarah Rieckmann in the No. 3 doubles spot, 6-3.
Liberty maintained momentum to sweep through singles play and blank the Runnin' Bulldogs in six straight matches. Crist began singles play with a commanding 6-0, 6-1 victory over Bolstad from the No. 3 singles position, 6-0, 6-1.
Rivera then bested Rieckmann in straight sets from the No. 4 singles slot, 6-1, 6-1 to give the Lady Flames the 3-0 advantage. It was fitting that Rivera's win on Senior Day moved her further up the totem pole into a tie with Hannah Fick for the fourth-most singles wins in program history with 57.
Khval clinched the match for the Lady Flames from the No. 1 singles position. The Belarus native bested Sacko in straight sets, 6-1, 6-3 to give Liberty the 4-0 lead. Khval's win deadlocked her with Rivera and Fick for the fourth-most singles wins with 57.
With the match clinched, Mariely Hassey, Dollar, and senior Thong earned straight-set singles victories from the No. 2, No. 5 and No. 6 positions. Hassey defeated White, 6-3, 6-1, from the No. 5 position while Thong upended Laura Fermosel 7-6(2), 6-0 in the No. 6 singles slot. Dollar won by retirement from the No. 2 position after Magnusson was unable to continue due to an injury. Dollar claimed the first set 7-6(4) and was ahead 2-1 in the second frame before the match was called.
"The girls did a better job of finishing the points today," stated head coach Jeff Maren. "I was also proud of our energy and support of each other. It was a good way to end our Senior Day."
The Lady Flames return to action tomorrow when they host No. 53 Winthrop at 10 a.m., when Liberty seeks its first-ever 5-0 start in conference play. The contest is scheduled to be played at the Sports Racket.
Liberty 7, Gardner-Webb 0
Doubles
- Crist/Thong (LU) def. Magnusson/Bolstad (GWU), 6-0
- Dollar/Khval (LU) def. Sacko/Mixon (GWU), 6-1
- Anderson/Panchenko (LU) def. White/Rieckmann (GWU), 6-3
Singles
- Khval (LU) def. Sacko (GWU), 6-1, 6-3
- Dollar (LU) def. Magnusson (GWU), 7-6(7-4), 2-1, retired
- Crist (LU) def. Bolstad (GWU), 6-0, 6-1
- Rivera (LU) def. Rieckmann (GWU), 6-1, 6-1
- Hassey (LU) def. White (GWU), 6-3, 6-1
- Thong (LU) def. Fermosel (GWU), 7-6(7-2), 6-0
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:
3,4,1,5,6,2