ELON, N.C. – Elon University women's tennis kept each of its matches close in singles action after falling in doubles, but East Carolina would come out on top with a 6-1 victory on Saturday, March 16, at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center.
 
Elon (7-7) was led by Olivia Archer, who earned the team's lone point with a victory at the No. 5 singles position. She also competed well in doubles action with Suzanne Zenoni as the duo led 5-3 in their contest on court three, but the match went unfinished as ECU clinched the doubles point. The loss is Elon's first at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center this season.
 
East Carolina (14-2) earned its 14th-straight victory with its win against the Phoenix. Lisa Hofbauer clinched the victory for the Pirates with her singles win on court one.
 
HIGHLIGHTS
The Pirates opened the match with a 1-0 lead after winning the doubles point. After ECU cruised to a victory on court two, Hofbauer and Alisa Diercksen clinched the point with a 6-4 win on the top court. Zenoni and Archer held a 5-3 lead for the Phoenix on court three before the point was clinched.
 
In singles play, Ruiz extended ECU's lead to 2-0 as she earned a 6-3, 6-0 win against Maria Paraja on court two. Archer then cut East Carolina's lead to 2-1 with her eighth singles win of the season. She fought hard to earn a 7-5, 6-4 win over Minette Van Vreden at the No. 5 position to improve her singles mark to 8-3 overall this season.
 
Diercksen came from behind, which included being down 4-5 in the second set, to defeat Uma Nayar 2-6, 7-5, 6-2 on court three to put the Pirates on top 3-1. Hofbauer then clinched the win for East Carolina with a tight 7-5, 7-5 win over Zenoni, who battled hard in each set, and ECU took a 4-1 lead in the match.
 
Hsia Ho Chiao and Martina Paladini-Jennings then completed East Carolina's 6-1 win with victories on courts six and four, respectively. Sofia Edo and Alex Koniaev each battled in their respective matches as Edo fell 7-5 in her second set and Koniaev forced a tiebreaker in her opening set.
 
UP NEXT
The Phoenix returns to the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center for four matches in six days beginning with Mercer on Monday, March 18, at 10 a.m.
 
East Carolina 6, Elon 1
March 16, 2019 at Elon, N.C. (Jimmy Powell Tennis Center)
 
Singles competition
1. Lisa Hofbauer (ECU) def. Suzanne Zenoni (ELON) 7-5, 7-5
2. Celia Ruiz (ECU) def. Maria Paraja (ELON) 6-3, 6-0
3. Alisa Diercksen (ECU) def. Uma Nayar (ELON) 2-6, 7-5, 6-2
4. M. Paladini-Jennings (ECU) def. Alex Koniaev (ELON) 7-6 (8-6), 6-1
5. Olivia Archer (ELON) def. Minette Van Vreden (ECU) 7-5, 6-4
6. Hsia Ho Chiao (ECU) def. Sofia Edo (ELON) 6-2, 7-5
 
Doubles competition
1. Lisa Hofbauer/Alisa Diercksen (ECU) def. Alex Koniaev/Maria Paraja (ELON) 6-4
2. Celia Ruiz/Minette Van Vreden (ECU) def. Uma Nayar/Nicole Shiau (ELON) 6-0
3. Olivia Archer/Suzanne Zenoni (ELON) vs. Nastja Rettich/Hsia Ho Chiao (ECU) 5-3, unfinished
 
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (2,5,3,1,6,4)