Agate

GREENVILLE, S.C. – After taking the early lead by winning the doubles point, the Elon Phoenix women’s tennis team was unable to get past Southern Conference power Furman as the host Paladins won all six singles matches en route to the 6-1 victory. Elon dropped to 9-9 on the year, 4-4 in Southern Conference action. Furman moved to 9-9 overall and 5-1 in league play.

Elon got off to a good start, winning the doubles point for the third straight match this time on the strength of victories on courts one and two. The Paladins were quick to take the doubles match at number three as Monica Arguello and Jennifer Betts dropped only one game in an 8-1 defeat of Jessica Margolis and Viviana Stavreva. Elon’s Frida Jansaker and Bryn Khoury evened things up with an 8-5 victory over Lauren Kline and Michele Stanford at number two. Down to a deciding match at the top position, Elon’s Jordan Johnston and Briana Berne came up big in a hard-fought 8-6 win against Margaret Boyette and Amanda Murray.

Furman was quick to put three points on the board as the Paladins only dropped a combined six games between courts one, five and six. Arguello came away with a 6-2, 6-0 decision against Johnston at number one that made it a 1-1 match. Stanford gave the home team the lead for good when she topped Berne, 6-1, 6-1 at number five. On court six, Susan Bitetti gave Furman a 3-0 advantage, defeating Margolis 6-2, 6-0. In the clincher for Furman, Kline was victorious over Jansaker, 6-3, 6-1 at number three.

The final two matches were tight, as Murray and Stavreva needed three sets to decide a winner. Murray eventually came away with the 6-2, 1-6, 6-2 victory as Furman took a 5-1 lead. Finally, Boyette closed out the match with a 7-6, 7-5 win against Khoury at number two.

Elon will be at home for its final three regular-season matches, beginning against Davidson on Wednesday, April 6 at 4:30 p.m.