ELON, N.C. – Elon University women's tennis opened its fall season this week, Sept. 17-18, at the Elon Fall Invitational at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center.

"First off, it was great being able to host the tournament again this year," head coach Elizabeth Anderson began. "It was a good turnout with a lot of good, competitive matches. I think for us it was great just getting out there and being able to compete again. A big highlight for us this weekend was doubles - Julie (Ball) and Olivia (Archer) won their flight and I thought the other girls also performed well. I was also very proud of Julie for winning her singles flight. We're looking forward to getting back at it with the Jimmy Powell Invitational here on campus in a few weeks."

The Phoenix was led by Julie Ball who won her singles flight and combined with Olivia Archer to win their doubles flight. Seven student-athletes picked up singles wins over the weekend, while all four doubles combinations won at least one match.
 
THE RUNDOWN (SINGLES)
- In the Acorn East flight, Julie Ball went undefeated throughout her matches in route to winning the flight. Ball picked up wins over Linge Steenkamp and Maria Picazo (6-0, 6-2) respectively on day one, before claiming the flight crown in a 6-4, 6-3 straight set victory over Alisha Hussain on day two.
- After defeating Hannah Gaines of NC Central 6-3, 6-4 on day one of the tournament, Shauna Galvin followed that up by taking down Eugenia Camacho 7-5, 6-3 to come out on top of the Oak West flight.
- First-year Sarah Allen took home her first singles victory in an Elon uniform on Friday, defeating Anaiah Jones 6-0, 6-2 in the Phoenix East Flight. Allen followed that up with a 6-3, 6-0 straight set win over Kendall Byers in the 3-4 playoff match in the Phoenix flight.
- Sibel Tanik got the fall season rolling with a 6-3, 6-4 straight-set victory over Ami Grace Dougah of UNC Asheville in the Maroon East flight of the tournament.
- Lizette Reding opened day one of the tournament with a win, defeating Ariana Chan of UNCG 6-1, 7-5.
- Alison O'Dea earned her first singles win this fall with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Parvathi Shanker on Saturday.
- Olivia Archer also picked up her first singles victory of the fall season on Saturday, taking down Sylvia Eklund in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4.

THE RUNDOWN (DOUBLES)
- The combination of Julie Ball and Olivia Archer went undefeated in doubles play, taking down Gaines and Hill of NC Central (8-3), Mitchell and Craft of UNCG (8-4) and Siegel and Steenkamp of UNC Asheville (8-5) respectively to win the Gold East doubles flight.
- The tandem of Lizette Reding and Sibel Tanik pulled out an 8-5 win over Emily Tannenbaum and Samantha Johns of Navy to advance to the finals of the Maroon East doubles flight.
- Shauna Galvin and Sarah Allen also combined to pick up a doubles win over the weekend, taking down NCCU's Exsted and Picazo 8-3 in the Powell East doubles flight.
- Alison O'Dea and Victoria Saldh rounded out the doubles wins for the Phoenix, taking down Brown and Petruzelova (8-7), before defeating Gaines and Hill of NCCU (8-2).
 
UP NEXT
The Phoenix will be back in action on Friday, Oct. 8, when it hosts day one of the Jimmy Powell Invitational on Elon's campus.