Box Score HOUSTON, TX – The Elon University women's tennis team won its first doubles point of the season and backed it up with a strong singles performance to earn a 6-1 win against Houston on Friday. 

BOX SCORE (PDF)
 
"I'm very proud of the team for coming out with strong energy and determination and getting the momentum going with the doubles point," head coach Elizabeth Anderson said. "We also played with a lot of grit in singles and I am very proud of how well they competed. We are looking forward to playing against Rice tomorrow."  
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• Elon picked up its first doubles point of the season behind a pair of tight victories. After Houston won the first completed match, Sibel Tanik and Lizette Reding completed a 6-4 win on Court 1 for their first win of the season. In the last match to finish, the freshman duo of Madison Cordisco and Helen Sarikulaya won 7-5 on Court 3 to secure the 1-0 lead for the Phoenix.
• Reigning Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Week Julie Ball kept her early-season momentum going on Court 5, as the senior rolled to a 6-3, 6-1 victory to improve to 3-0 on the season. Ball has been the first player to finish in each of Elon's three matches this season and is now 36-8 in total games (6-0 in sets). Her opening set was the seventh time in her Elon career she has won a frame 6-0 and the first since April 1, 2022, against Bluefield State. 
• After earning her first career dual doubles victory earlier in the day, Cordisco won 7-5, 6-1 in the No. 2 position for her first dual singles win. 
• Shortly after Cordisco's win, Sibel Tanik clinched the match for the Phoenix with a 6-1, 7-5 triumph on Court 1. The senior is now 2-1 in singles this season and has won 12 of her last 15 completed matches dating back to last season, all in the No. 1 position. 
• Helen Sarikulaya dropped the first set on Court 5 but rallied to earn a 1-6, 6-1, 6-2 comeback victory. Sarikulaya is 4-0 in both doubles and singles play in Elon's last two matches. 
• Lizette Reding won her second singles match of the season in the No. 3 spot with a 6-3, 7-6 (3) result. The junior is now 15-7 in her career at the No. 3 position. 
• Elon has gone 11-1 in singles decisions the last two matches, which includes a 23-4 mark in singles sets. 
• The Phoenix remains unbeaten this season in the No. 5 singles spot, as Ball and Olivia Archer have combined to go 3-0 in the position.  
• With the victory, Elon is off to a 2-1 start for the second time in the last three seasons. 
• Elon has now won its last three matchups against American Athletic Conference opponents. 

 
UP NEXT
Elon wraps up its season-opening four match road stand tomorrow with a 10 a.m. match against Rice. The match was originally scheduled for noon but has been moved up due to a threat of inclement weather. 
 
RESULTS
Singles
1. Sibel Tanik (Elon) def. Maria Dzemeshkevich (Houston) 6-1, 7-5
2. Madison Cordisco (Elon) def. Laura Slisane (Houston) 7-5, 6-1
3. Lizette Reding (Elon) def. Azul Pedemonti (Houston) 6-3, 7-6 (3)
4. Helen Sarikulaya (Elon) def. Sophie Schouten (Houston) 1-6, 6-1, 6-2
5. Julie Ball (Elon) def. Blanca Cortijo Parreno (Houston) 6-0, 6-3
6. Gabriela Cortes (Houston) def. Olivia Archer (Elon) 3-6, 6-3, 10-6 
 
Doubles
1. Sibel Tanik/Lizette Reding (Elon) def. Laura Slisane/Blanca Cortijo Parreno 6-4
2. Azul Pedemonti/Maria Dzemeshkevich (Houston) def. Olivia Archer/Julie Ball (Elon) 6-4
3. Madison Cordisco/Helen Sarikulaya (Elon) def. Sophie Schouten/Sonya Kovalenko (Houston) 7-5
 
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (5,2,1,4,3,6)