Runnin' Bulldogs Upended at Elon, 6-1, on Tuesday
March 11, 2014 | Women's Tennis
Burrington, N.C. - Gardner-Webb's Rokia Sacko picked up a win at No. 5 singles, but losses at all three doubles positions once again set the tone as a hot Elon team knocked off GWU, 6-1, on Tuesday at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center.
The Runnin' Bulldogs (7-6, 1-2 Big South) lost for the fourth consecutive time Tuesday, all on the road, and were swept in doubles play for the third match in a row against a Phoenix team that won its seventh straight match.
Elon (7-4, 1-0 SoCon) got off to a fast start, winning 8-4 at all three doubles positions. The Phoenix's No. 1 doubles pairing, Jordan Johnston/Barbora Lazarova, finished off their win first, defeating GWU's Yasmin Doost/Ronia Hutterli 8-4. Elon's Maria Ruiz/Tolley Rice tandem outlasted the Runnin' Bulldogs' Catherine White/Mary Walker Mixon at No. 3 doubles by an 8-4 margin, and Bryn Khoury/Taylor Casey teamed up to defeat GWU's Jenny Lunde/Sacko by an 8-4 margin at No. 2 doubles.
The momentum earned by the home squad carried over into singles play, as Elon got quick wins from Khoury, Ruiz, and Lazarova at No.'s 3, 6, and 2 singles, respectively. Lazarova's win against Lunde at No. 2 singles clinched the match for the Phoenix.
Sacko, a sophomore from Montreal, Canada, got Gardner-Webb on the board with a resilient effort at No. 5 singles. Down one set early against Tolley Rice, Sacko fought back to pick up a 3-6, 6-4, 10-7 victory with the overall outcome already decided.
A tight match between Doost and Frida Jansaker finished next, as Elon came out on top at No. 1 with Jansaker's 6-3, 7-6 (7-2) win at the top of the lineup.
The No. 4 singles match was the last to finish. Elon's Taylor Casey held off a rally from Valeriia Popko to secure a 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) win at the No. 4 spot.
Gardner-Webb stays on the road for a Thursday tilt at Wofford (2:00 p.m.) before returning home for a Big South matchup against Charleston Southern (10:00 a.m.).
Results: Elon 6, GWU 1
Doubles -
No. 1 Jordan Johnston/Barbora Lazarova (ELON) def. Yasmin Doost/Ronia Hutterli (GWU) 8-4
No. 2 Maria Ruiz/Tolley Rice (ELON) def. Catherine White/Mary Walker Mixon (GWU) 8-4
No. 3 Bryn Khoury/Taylor Casey (ELON) def. Jenny Lunde/Rokia Sacko (GWU) 8-4
Order of finish: 1, 3, 2
Singles -
No. 1 Frida Jankaser (ELON) def. Doost (GWU) 6-3, 7-6 (7-2)
No. 2 Lazarova (ELON) def. Lunde (GWU) 6-0, 6-0
No. 3 Khoury (ELON) def. Hutterli (GWU) 6-1, 6-0
No. 4 Casey (ELON) def. Popko (GU) 6-3, 7-6 (7-4)
No. 5 Sacko (GWU) def. Casey (ELON) 4-6, 6-3, 10-7
No. 6 Ruiz (ELON) def. White (GWU) 6-0, 6-2
Order of finish: 3, 6, 2, 5, 1, 4
