Elon (5-6) vs. Wingate (7-1), N.C. Central (0-7), at #12 Wake Forest (8-4)

Date | Time	Saturday, Mar. 3 - 10 a.m./2 p.m.  |  Sunday, Mar. 4 - 4:30 p.m.
Location	Jimmy Powell Tennis Center | Wake Forest Tennis Complex
Series Record	Wingate | Elon leads 2-1 NCCU | Elon leads 9-0 Wake Forest | Wake Forest leads 4-1
Last Meeting	Wingate | April 8, 2002 - Wingate, 6-1 NCCU | March 11, 2017 - Elon, 5-0 Wake Forest | Jan 30, 2016 - #64 Wake Forest, 7-0
Live Stats	Wingate NCCU Wake Forest
Twitter	@ElonWTennis | @ElonPhoenix | @ElonScores

 

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ELON, N.C. – Elon University women's tennis returns home for a doubleheader on Saturday against Wingate and North Carolina Central at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center before hitting the road on Sunday to face No. 12-ranked Wake Forest. The Phoenix will face Wingate at 10 a.m. Saturday morning and will follow with a matchup against North Carolina Central at 2 p.m. Elon will face the Demon Deacons on Sunday afternoon at 4:30 p.m.

THE SERIES
The Phoenix faces Wingatefor the fourth time since becoming a Division I program in 2000. Wingate, who is currently ranked 20th in the nation at the NCAA Division II level, won the last matchup on April 8, 2002, but Elon has a 2-1 lead in the all-time series. Elon has yet to lose to NCCU, winning nine consecutive matchups against the Eagles. The Phoenix will face the Demon Deacons for the sixth time on Sunday afternoon trailing 4-1 in the series. Elon lost to No. 64 Wake Forest in the last meeting 7-0 on Jan. 30, 2016 at the Wake Forest Tennis Complex. The maroon and gold's lone win against Wake Forest came during the 2013 season when Elon earned the 4-3 win on Jan. 26.

WELCOME BACK
The Phoenix returns seven players – Erica Braschi, Olivia Lucas, Maria Paraja, Kirsten Ward, Suzanne Zenoni, Sofia Edo and Alex Koniaev – from last year's squad. The returning players on this year's squad accounted for 96 percent (95-of-99) of the team's singles wins and 88 percent (37-42) of doubles victories, from a team that reached the CAA Tournament semifinals last season. Highlighting the returners include All-CAA selections in Erica Braschi and Olivia Lucas. Maria Paraja is coming off a season in which she posted 18 singles victories in dual match play, the 4th most wins in a single season in the program's Division I era.

STRONG SENIOR CLASS
Elon's senior class of Erica Braschi (52), Olivia Lucas (42), and Kirsten Ward (25) have posted 118 total singles wins in dual matches for their careers. In doubles action, Braschi (46), Lucas (38), and Ward (26) have combined for 110 dual match wins in their tenures. Braschi and Lucas are among the best in the program's Division I era history. Braschi currently ranks 8th all-time in singles victories and 6th all-time in doubles wins, while Lucas is ranked 8th in career doubles wins.

HEAD COACH ELIZABETH ANDERSON
Elizabeth Anderson is entering her 14th season as head coach of the Phoenix after leading the program to an 18-8 record last season, including a Division I era program-best 14-2 mark at home. She is currently at 190 victories and is 10 away from reaching 200 for her career. Since joining the CAA in 2015, the Phoenix has posted a 50-27 dual match record under the direction of Anderson. Anderson earned her first-ever year accolade, after she was named the 2016 CAA Coach of the Year, leading the Phoenix to a 5-1 record against CAA teams. She has led Elon to 14 or more wins in the last six seasons and guided the program to its first NCAA Tournament in 2014.

LOOKING BACK
The Phoenix posted its best season as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association in 2017 with an 18-8 mark, including a 5-2 record against league foes. Elon earned the No. 2 seed for the CAA Championship, beating Towson in the first round to advance to the semifinals before falling to UNCW. Elon's seven returning players accounted for 96 percent (95-of-99) of the team's singles wins and 88 percent (37-42) of doubles victories last season.

FRESH FACES
Elon added two to its roster for the 2018 season. The Phoenix added Tyler Junior College transfer Montana Moore and freshman Mia Wallace to the fold. Moore helped lead Tyler Junior College to its 18th National Championship during her sophomore season, posting a 23-4 singles record and a 18-4 mark in doubles play. Wallace was the winner of the North State Individual Singles title and was a Massachusetts Singles State finalist as a senior in 2017 at Arlington High School (Mass.). Moore finished the fall season with a 5-5 singles record against tough competition, which included a win over North Carolina's Maggie Kane and Duke's Rebecca Smaller. Wallace completed the fall season with a 6-4 mark.

HOME COOKING
The Phoenix began the 2018 season at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center for six of its first 10 matches. Elon completed the 2017 season with a 14-2 mark, the most wins at home in a single season as a Division I program. Elon is 17-4 in its last 21 matches at home.

UP NEXT
The Phoenix returns to the courts on March 10 with a matchup against CAA foe UNCW at 12 p.m. at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center.