Liberty University
Kennesaw State
Liberty Collects First ASUN Win in 7-0 Decision Over Kennesaw State
3/23/2019 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
The visiting Liberty Lady Flames collected their first-ever ASUN Conference victory on Saturday afternoon, a 7-0 decision over the Kennesaw State Owls at the Betty Siegel Tennis Courts.
Liberty, the preseason ASUN co-favorite, is now 8-6 overall on the season and 1-1 in conference play. The Lady Flames have won five of six matches in the month of March. Kennesaw State drops to 1-12 on the year and 0-1 in the ASUN.
Liberty 7, Kennesaw State 0
Singles Competition
1. Ashley Bongart (LIBERTYW) def. Juliana Castellanos (KSU) 6-2, 6-3
2. Kalani Soli (LIBERTYW) def. Lara Mehlsam (KSU) 6-2, 6-0
3. Maria Medina (LIBERTYW) def. Elle Baker (KSU) 6-3, 6-2
4. Alexandra Almborg (LIBERTYW) def. Kendall Nash (KSU) 6-2, 6-1
5. Anna Dollar (LIBERTYW) def. Jessica Cantrell (KSU) 6-2, 6-4
6. Grace Hashiguchi (LIBERTYW) def. Aspen Jarrett (KSU) 4-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-7)
Doubles Competition
1. Lara Soares/Maria Medina (LIBERTYW) def. Juliana Castellanos/Kendall Nash (KSU) 6-0
2. Aspen Jarrett/Elle Baker (KSU) vs. Grace Hashiguchi/Kalani Soli (LIBERTYW) 3-3, unfinished
3. Anna Dollar/Ashley Bongart (LIBERTYW) def. Brenna Reilly/Jessica Cantrell (KSU) 6-0
Liberty 8-6, 1-1 ASUN
Kennesaw State 1-12, 0-1 ASUN
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (4,2,3,1,5,6)
How It Happened
- The Lady Flames continued their success in doubles by capturing the doubles session for a sixth straight match. Both victories were decisive 6-0 results on courts one and three, respectively.
- Liberty's top duo, seniors Maria Medina and Lara Soares, defeated the Owls' Juliana Castellanos and Kendall Nash 6-0. Medina and Soares are now 9-2 in spring doubles matches and winners of their last five bouts.
- Lady Flames seniors Anna Dollar and Ashley Bongart also picked up a 6-0 victory over their counterparts, Brenna Reilly and Jessica Cantrell, in the No. 3 doubles match. Their triumph made it 1-0 Liberty. The tandem is now 8-4 in spring doubles competition.
- Liberty dominated the singles session, winning all six matches (five in straight sets). The Lady Flames have three 7-0 sweeps on the season and two in the last 10 days (swept Chattanooga 7-0, March 14).
- After not playing doubles, Liberty freshman Alexandra Almborg bested Nash in straight sets (6-2, 6-1). The Staffanstorp, Sweden, native's win pushed her record to 3-1 at No. 4 singles, this spring, and provided Liberty a two-point cushion (2-0).
- Reigning ASUN Player of the Week Kalani Soli continued her successful junior campaign with a straight-sets victory against Lara Mehlsam (6-2, 6-0) at No. 2 singles. The Carson, Calif., native has now won her last six singles contests.
- Medina put Liberty up 4-0, sealing the match with her 6-3, 6-2 win over Elle Baker on court three.
- Bongart also won in straight sets (6-2, 6-3) against her opponent Castellanos. Her doubles partner, Dollar, extended the lead to 6-0 with her seventh straight victory. Dollar topped Cantrell in two sets, 6-2, 6-4 at No. 5 singles.
- After dropping the first set to KSU's Aspen Jarrett on court six, sophomore Grace Hashiguchi, battled back to win the match in a third set super tiebreaker, 4-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-7). Her victory gave the Lady Flames their seventh point of the day.
- Saturday's match between Liberty and Kennesaw State was the first-ever meeting between the two schools.
Next Up
- Liberty will play another ASUN road match, taking on North Alabama (5-8, 0-0 ASUN) on Sunday morning at 11 a.m. Eastern at the UNA Varsity Tennis Courts.
- The Lady Flames and Lions will be squaring off for the first time.
??First-Ever @ASUNTennis Win!!!?? pic.twitter.com/sYgunRZ04d
— LU Women's Tennis (@LibertyWTennis) March 24, 2019
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
1,3
#1 Singles Match
#2 Singles Match
#3 Singles Match
#4 Singles Match
#5 Singles Match
#6 Singles Match
Order of Finish:
4,2,3,1,5,6