Liberty University
Gardner-Webb
Liberty Wins on Senior Day, 6-1, Over Gardner-Webb
4/6/2018 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Liberty women's tennis won its sixth conference match of the season, 6-1, over Gardner-Webb on Senior Day, Friday at the Cook Tennis Center.
Prior to the match, the Lady Flames women's tennis program took time to honor their lone senior, captain Evangeline Crist. Crist delivered her program-record-tying 87th singles victory of her career in the match, and Liberty won the doubles point and five of six singles bouts en route to the triumph.
The Lady Flames (13-8) remain in sole possession of second place in the Big South with a 6-1 mark, a game behind Winthrop (7-0). They have won six of their last seven matches. The Runnin' Bulldogs drop to 3-12 overall and 0-6 in the conference.
"Tough weather conditions today for both teams, but we found a way to play with grit and get the job done. I'm especially proud of Evangeline's efforts today," stated Liberty Women's Tennis Head Coach Jeff Maren. "She had a rocky start in doubles but controlled her emotions in singles and played well. We are so proud of her accomplishments over these past four years and would love to finish the season strong for her. To God be the glory."
Crist's victory in the No. 5 singles match against her counterpart, Valentine Limauge, 6-2, 6-2 tied the program singles record of 87 wins, set by Jordan Jenkins (2008-11). The senior, who broke the doubles record for Liberty on Tuesday at Longwood, now needs just one win to surpass Jenkins and hold both the singles and doubles program records for Liberty women's tennis.
Crist has now won 10 straight singles matches and is 20-8 overall during her senior campaign.
The Lady Flames opened the afternoon by winning the doubles point from the Runnin' Bulldogs. Liberty's No. 3 duo, Rebekah Anderson and Grace Hashiguchi, led throughout their match against GWU's Daniela Naupari and Paula Romero in a 6-2 win. Anderson and Hashiguchi (12-2 this spring) have now won six straight matches by a total score of 36-11.
Maria Medina and Lara Soares of Liberty trailed, 2-1, early on in court two versus Limauge and Sarah Rieckmann. The Lady Flames' juniors captured the next five games and prevailed, 6-2. With the win, Liberty went ahead, 1-0.
Crist and her partner Anna Dollar fell into an early 4-0 hole and trailed, 5-2 to GWU's Miljana Ristic and Sandra Bolstad in the No. 1 doubles match. Crist and Dollar evened the match up at 5-5 before dropping the final two games to lose, 7-5.
The Lady Flames quickly built up the lead to 3-0 with two-set wins from their No. 1 and No. 2 singles players, Ashley Bongart and Medina. Medina rolled to a 6-1, 6-0 victory versus Rieckmann on court two, making it 2-0 Liberty. Bongart followed suit with a straight-sets (6-0, 6-2) win against Bolstad in the No. 1 singles match. Medina and Bongart never trailed in their matches.
Dollar won her fifth straight match in the No. 6 position, 6-3, 6-2 over Romero. Her victory clinched the match for Liberty, 4-0. After her doubles partner, Dollar, triumphed, Crist delivered the aforementioned fifth point for the Lady Flames.
Gardner-Webb's lone point was on court four, a Naupari victory over Anderson in straight sets (6-3, 6-2).
The final match to finish was between Soares (Liberty) and Ristic (Gardner-Webb). Soares led, 5-2, in the first set, but Ristic claimed the next three games to even the set at 5-5. The Liberty junior closed the door, taking the next two games for the 7-5 set one win.
Tied 3-3 in the second set, Soares won two deuce points to surge ahead, 5-3. Ristic took the next game, but Soares capped off the Lady Flames' 6-1 victory with her 7-5, 6-4 match victory. She is now 15-3 in spring singles and has won eight straight, all in straight sets.
Liberty will face future Big South member Hampton (4-5) in non-conference action at home on Sunday morning. Due to impending inclement weather, the match will be contested at 9 a.m. at Crosswhite Athletic Club (118 Davis Cup Rd., Lynchburg) rather than at the originally scheduled time of 1 p.m. at the Cook Tennis Center.
Liberty 6, Gardner-Webb University 1
Singles competition
1. BONGART, Ashley (LIBERTYW) def. BOLSTAD, Sandra (GWU18W) 6-0, 6-2
2. MEDINA, Maria (LIBERTYW) def. RIECKMANN, Sarah (GWU18W) 6-1, 6-0
3. SOARES, Lara (LIBERTYW) def. RISTIC, Miljana (GWU18W) 7-5, 6-4
4. NAUPARI, Daniela (GWU18W) def. ANDERSON, Rebekah (LIBERTYW) 6-3, 6-2
5. CRIST, Evangeline (LIBERTYW) def. LIMAUGE Valentine (GWU18W) 6-2, 6-2
6. DOLLAR, Anna (LIBERTYW) def. ROMERO, Paula (GWU18W) 6-3, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. RISTIC, Miljana/BOLSTAD, Sandra (GWU18W) def. CRIST, Evangeline/DOLLAR, Anna (LIBERTYW) 7-5
2. MEDINA, Maria/SOARES, Lara (LIBERTYW) def. LIMAUGE Valentine/RIECKMANN, Sarah (GWU18W) 6-2
3. ANDERSON, Rebekah/HASHIGUCHI, Grace (LIBERTYW) def. NAUPARI, Daniela/ROMERO, Paula (GWU18W) 6-2
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (2,1,6,5,4,3) Senior Day
Official: R Lawson/D Friend T-2:16
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
3,2,1
#1 Singles Match
#2 Singles Match
#3 Singles Match
#4 Singles Match
#5 Singles Match
#6 Singles Match
Order of Finish:
2,1,6,5,4,3