Liberty University
North Alabama
Liberty Rolls Over North Alabama 5-2, Friday
3/24/2023 3:09:00 PM | Women's Tennis
The Lady Flames earned a victory in their first of two matches this weekend, ousting North Alabama 5-2 on Friday afternoon at the Liberty Tennis Complex.
Liberty (11-6, 2-1 ASUN) won the first four points of the match to secure the win. UNA (6-11, 1-3 ASUN) took two of the final three singles matches after the Lady Flames already clinched the win.
Liberty secured the doubles point with a pair of 6-2 wins on courts two and three. Liberty claimed a trio of straight-sets singles wins on courts three, two and six to secure the win then added another win for extra measure on court four.
The Lady Flames improve 5-0 all-time against the Lions.
Liberty continues to show its resilience having yet to lose two straight matches this season. The Lady Flames fell to Lipscomb 4-3 on the road, last Sunday night in their most recent action prior to Friday. Liberty improves to 8-2 at home in 2023, matching last year's home record of 8-2. The Lady Flames still have three remaining home regular season matches this spring.
Thoughts From Head Coach Jeff Maren
"I'm very proud of Maretha and Bruna for stepping up today! They came up big for us in doubles, and Maretha clinched the match in singles for us. This was a gritty win, and I am thankful for the effort we showed today. To God be the glory!"
Liberty 5, North Alabama 2
Singles Competition
- Juliette Talieu (UNA) def. M. Juliana P. Romero (LIBERTYW) 6-4, 6-0
- Esther Lovato (LIBERTYW) def. Martina Paladini (UNA) 6-1, 6-1
- Marina Davtyan (LIBERTYW) def. Kalais Going (UNA) 6-1, 6-1
- Tiffany Nguyen (LIBERTYW) def. Valeria San Miguel (UNA) 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), 1-0 (10-7)
- Ana Josic (UNA) def. Elsa Kirch (LIBERTYW) 6-3, 7-5
- Maretha Burger (LIBERTYW) def. Nicole Reilly (UNA) 6-0, 6-3
Doubles Competition
- M. Juliana P. Romero/Tiffany Nguyen (LIBERTYW) vs. Juliette Talieu/Ana Josic (UNA) 3-5, unfinished
- Maretha Burger/Bruna Sampaio (LIBERTYW) def. Kalais Going/Valeria San Miguel (UNA) 6-2
- Marina Davtyan/Esther Lovato (LIBERTYW) def. Nicole Reilly/Martina Paladini (UNA) 6-2
Liberty 11-6, 2-1 ASUN
North Alabama 6-11, 1-3 ASUN
Order of Finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (3,2,6,1,5,4)
Official: S Lunsford/M Sarver T-2:44
How It Happened
• Liberty won the first doubles match on court two, as Maretha Burger and Bruna Sampaio earned their first victory together this spring by beating Kalais Going and Valeria San Miguel Soria 6-2.
• The Lady Flames clinched the doubles point in the No. 3 doubles contest, with Esther Lovato and Marina Davtyan (6-1) taking down Nicole Reilly and Martina Paladini-Jennings 6-2.
• Liberty took the first singles point to go up 2-0 thanks to Davtyan defeating Going with a pair of dominating 6-1 sets. The senior improved to 9-3 this spring and increased her win streak to five matches.
• The Lady Flames earned their third point on court two, as Lovato (12-2) cruised to a 6-1, 6-1 victory versus Paladini. The junior now has 90 total wins, putting her just two shy of the program record set at 92 by Evangeline Crist (2015-18). Lovato could tie the record at home against Queens on Wednesday if she were to win against Jacksonville Sunday, with an opportunity to break the record at home against Furman a week from today.
• Liberty snagged the match-clinching fourth point in the No. 6 singles slot, with Burger taking down Reilly 6-0, 6-3.
• UNA collected its first win on court one. The Lions' Juliette Talieu topped the Lady Flames' Maria Juliana Parra Romero 6-4, 6-0, handing Parra Romero (10-3) only her third loss of the spring campaign.
• UNA got a second point to get the score to 4-2. Liberty's Elsa Kirch fell to Ana Josic 6-2, 7-5 in the No. 5 singles contest.
• Liberty added its fifth point on court four after Nguyen (11-3) bounced back after dropping a second set tiebreaker to defeat Miguel 6-3, 6-7 (5), 1-0 (10-7).
Next Up
• Liberty is back in action Sunday, facing Jacksonville State (14-3, 4-0 ASUN) at 10 a.m. from the Liberty Tennis Complex.
• The Lady Flames took down the Gamecocks 6-1 in their only previous matchup, last season (March 25, 2022).
Main Photo at Top of Story: Maretha Burger (left) and Bruna Sampaio (right)
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
2,3
#1 Singles Match
#2 Singles Match
#3 Singles Match
#4 Singles Match
#5 Singles Match
#6 Singles Match
Order of Finish:
3,2,6,1,5,4
Players Mentioned
