Agate

ELON, N.C. – A battle for the ages came up just short for Elon’s Jordan Johnston, as College of Charleston’s Christin Newman captured a 7-5 decision in the third set to give the Cougars a 4-3 win in the 2013 Southern Confernence Women’s Tennis title match on Sunday, April 21, at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center.
 
In a script made for Hollywood, Elon (21-4) trailed CofC 3-0, but stormed back late to tie it at 3-all with Johnston and Newman remaining at No. 1 singles.
 
After falling in the first set, 6-3, Johnston rallied to come back to win the second set, 7-6 (7-4), to force a third and final set. Trailing 4-2 in the third set, Johnston mounted a furious rally to put the Elon faithful on its feet after tying the set, 4-all. After Newman went back ahead by one, Johnston brought it back to even on her serve, tying it at 5-all.
 
The eleventh game of the set proved to be a legendary one, as the two players battled tooth and nail for the sixth point for nearly 20 minutes. Newman eventually pulled away to win the point and take a 6-5 lead. Newman, this year’s league player of the year, went on to win, 7-5, to give the Cougars the title.
 
“I am so proud of the way we battled today,” said Elon head coach Elizabeth Anderson. “We left it all out there today and unfortunately it just didn’t go our way. I couldn’t be more proud of Jordan and the fight she showed. She’s a warrior and a true competitor.”
 
The Cougars managed to take an early 1-0 lead in the match after winning the doubles point.
 
After College of Charleston won at No. 2, the tandem of  Johnston and Frida Jansaker evened things up at No. 1 doubles after coming up with a thrilling 9-8 decision versus the Cougars’ Irene Viana and Katherine Schofield. Johnston and Jansaker trailed 3-0, but came back strong to win it by claiming a 7-5 win in the tiebreaker.
 
But the Phoenix fell just short at No. 3, as Briana Berne and Taylor Casey dropped a hard-fought 8-6 decision to Samantha Maddox and Christin Newman.
 
College of Charleston took a 2-0 advantage in singles, as Elon’s Viviana Stavreva suffered a tough 6-1, 6-1, setback at No. 3 versus Brooke McAmis.
 
After the Cougars took a 3-0 lead with a win on No. 6, Jansaker helped limit CofC to a 3-1 lead with a 6-2, 7-5, victory at No. 2 versus Kelly Kambourelis.
 
Barbora Lazarova brought the Phoenix back within one, 3-2, after a 6-4, 6-4, decision at No. 5 against Maddox to give the maroon and gold momentum.
 
Bryn Khoury knotted it a 3-all with in a three-set thriller at No. 4, rebounding for a 1-6, 6-3, 6-3, win against College of Charleston’s Jenny Falcone.
 
But the Cougars managed to take No. 1 singles, ending Elon’s 10-match winning streak to claim the title.

Elon ends the season ranked 66th in the ITA national rankings.