GAFFNEY, S.C. – An undefeated Friday propelled the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs women's tennis squad to a strong showing at the Limestone Fall Invitational on October 4th and 5th.
In addition to Gardner-Webb, the Limestone Saints and USC Upstate Spartans also competed.
All eight players won their singles matches on the first day of action with seven of eight needing only two sets to do so.
On the first court, Miljana Ristic defeated USC Upstate's Elin Hellberg, 7-5, 6-2. Gardner-Webb's lone newcomer for 2019-20, Teodora Ristic, who attended the same high school as her teammate Miljana but is not related, also defeated a USC Upstate Spartan. T. Ristic beat Maria Jardim in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2. Sophomore Adrienne Vesely played the Spartans' Roberta Armani to pick up the third win of the day for the 'Dogs.
Daniela Naupari, Manon Delsol, Milica Panic, Mayumi Saguchi and Valentine Limauge all competed against athletes from Limestone College.
Naupari was up 4-3 over Camille Haus when Haus had to retire. Delsol played on the court adjacent to M. Ristic and won by a pair of 6-3 scores over Alex Dolfi. On court five, Panic defeated Caroline St. Andrews, 6-2, 6-4. Limauge needed three sets to defeat Alison Walsh, coming from behind to win after dropping the first set, 6-3. Limauge won the second set, 6-1 before winning a super tiebreaker, 10-5.
The biggest win on Friday afternoon came courtesy of Saguchi who shutout Luana Hermes, 6-0, 6-0.
The Runnin' Bulldogs played 12 doubles matches on Friday and earned victories in all 12.
M. Ristic and Naupari teamed up to defeat Haus and Caroline St. Antoine in their first match by an impressive 6-0 score. Their second match, a 6-3 win over Upstate's Cevellos and Jardin, was the only match they surrendered a game. They ended play by shutting out Picinini and Dolfi, 6-0.
Limague and Delsol battled to a 6-4 win over the aforementioned Cevellos and Jordin, 6-4 and beat Haus and St. Antoine in their second match, 6-3. They cruised to a 6-1 win over Hermes and Mathis to end the day.
Saugchi and Ristic outscored their three opponents by a combined 18-8. They defeated Hellberg and Armani, 6-3 to start the day and after losing just one game to Picinini  and Dolfi, they ended Friday with a 6-4 win over Haus and St. Antoine.
Gardner-Webb's final doubles team of Panic and Vesely shutout two of their three opponents. After opening the day with a 6-4 win over Picinini and Dolfi, they earned a pair of dominant 6-0 wins.
In morning session of singles play on Saturday, the 'Dogs won seven of eight matches with T. Ristic leading the way with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Dolfi. M. Ristic defeated Haus by default, while Saguchi (6-0, 6-1) and Naupari (6-2, 6-2) combined to outscore their opponents 24-5 as they both picked up singles wins.
Panic defeated Hermes on court six, 6-3, 6-3, while Limauge battled Picinini on court eight. After cruising to a 6-1 win the first set, the Brussels, Belgium native battled for a 6-4 set win in set two to ultimately win the match.
Vesley made quick work of Alison Walsh, winning 6-1, 6-0. The lone loss for Gardner-Webb came when Delsol retired on court three, which gave USC Upstate's Jardin the win.
In the final round of singles action, M. Ristic and T. Ristic both won in two sets and by identical 6-0, 6-1 scores. Miljana Ristic defeated Limetone's Dolfi, while Teodora Ristic beat St. Antoine.
Naupari had the scores flipped in her sets, as she defeated USC Upstate's Roberta Armani, 6-1 in the first set and clinched the match with an impressive 6-0 victory in the final set.
Saguchi earned a 6-0, 6-0 win for the second straight day as she defeated the Saints' Maya Ramirez.
In the two day event, the 'Dogs won 22 singles matches and went a perfect 12-0 in doubles play.
The Runnin' Bulldogs will return to action at the ITA Regional in Winston-Salem, N.C. Play will begin on October 23.
