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Liberty University
Longwood
Lady Flames Clinch Share of Big South Regular-Season Title
4/5/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
The Liberty Lady Flames tennis squad capped off a dominating Big South season today in its regular season finale, besting Longwood 6-1 in Farmville, Va. The Lady Flames earned a share of the Big South regular-season title for the first time since 2011 and the second time in program history. Liberty shares the regular-season conference championship with Winthrop. The Lady Flames also capture the program's first-ever No. 1 seed in the upcoming Big South Women's Tennis Championship due to the head-to-head matchup with the Eagles.
With the victory, Liberty improves to 13-9 overall and 8-1 in Big South play. The Lady Flames' eight conference wins marks the most in a single season in program history. Longwood falls to 9-11, including 2-6 in conference play.
Liberty began doubles play in convincing fashion when Evangeline Crist and Valerie Thong bested Fallon Burger and Isis Gill-Reid, 6-1, from the No. 1 doubles slot.
The Lady Flames clinched the doubles point after Anna Dollar and Maria Khval bested Anna Pelak and Mason Thomas 6-2 from the No. 2 doubles position.
Rebekah Anderson and Aleksandra Panchenko finished off the sweep in doubles action, upending Maria Coronel and Paloma Alatorre, 6-3.
Longwood claimed the first singles victory to even the contest at one apiece after Mariely Hassey was unable to continue due to an injury.
The Lady Flames were not fazed, responding with five consecutive singles wins to claim the match and clinch a share of the regular-season title. Khval began the run for Liberty after defeating Burger in consecutive sets, 6-2, 6-1 from the No. 1 singles slot.
Liberty's lead was doubled to 3-1 when Crist notched her team-high 24th singles victory this season. The Georgia native upended Pelak in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1.
With the Lady Flames eyeing their first-ever No. 1 seed in the Big South Women's Tennis Championship, Belen Rivera turned the expectation into reality. Rivera delivered a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Alatorre from the No. 4 singles position, extending Liberty's lead to 4-1.
With the overall match in hand for Liberty, Dollar and Thong claimed victories from the No. 3 and No. 5 singles positions. Dollar defeated Gill-Reid in three sets, 6-4, 4-6, 10-6, while Thong upended Thomas in straight sets, 6-0, 6-1.
"This is my fourth season, and each year we have accomplished our short-term goals and moved closer to our long-term goals," stated head coach Jeff Maren. "This year is no exception as we have progressed the way I had hoped within this tough schedule. But we are not done, and our goal is still in front of us. The girls are more than ready to play in the tournament and I am supremely confident in their ability to prepare mentally, technically, and physically over the next 10 days so that they'll peak for the conference tournament."
Liberty will return to action on April 16 at 9 a.m. as the No. 1 seed of the Big South Women's Tennis Championship. The Lady Flames will compete in the quarterfinals against the winner of the No. 8 and No. 9 matchup that will take place on April 15 at 11 a.m.
Liberty 6, Longwood 1
Doubles
- Crist/Thong (LU) def. Burger/Gill-Reid (Wood), 6-1
- Dollar/Khval (LU) def. Pelak/Thomas (Wood), 6-2
- Anderson/Panchenko (LU) vs. Coronel/Alatorre (Wood), 6-3
Singles
- Khval (LU) def. Burger (Wood), 6-2, 6-1
- Crist (LU) def. Pelak (Wood), 6-1, 6-1
- Dollar (LU) def. Gill-Reid (Wood), 6-4, 4-6, 10-6
- Rivera (LU) vs. Alatorre (Wood), 6-1, 6-1
- Thong (LU) vs. Thomas (Wood), 6-0, 6-1
- Coronel (Wood) def. Hassey (LU), 4-2, retired
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:
6,1,2,4,5,3