ELON, N.C. – After falling behind 3-1, the Elon University women's tennis team pushed the last three singles matches into final sets Sunday against No. 67 VCU but ultimately came up short against the Rams, losing 5-2 at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center.

BOX SCORE (PDF)

With the defeat, Elon fell to 12-8 on the season, while the nationally ranked Rams improved to 14-6. 
 
THE RUNDOWN

• After losing the doubles point Saturday against UNCW, Elon returned to its winning ways in doubles Sunday, taking a 1-0 lead in the match with an impressive performance on all three courts. 
• At No. 2 doubles, Madison Cordisco and Mariana Reding raced out to a 5-1 lead with a pair of early breaks. VCU got one of the breaks back to make the score 5-2, but Elon's tandem took the next game to a deuce point. They won the point to take the match 6-2. It was their 11^th win together on the season. 
• On Court 1, Sibel Tanik and Lizette Reding clinched doubles for the Phoenix with a 6-4 victory. It was their 35^th win as a pair and their 11^th of the season at the No. 1 spot. With the win, Lizette moved into a three-way tie for seventh in Elon's Division I history with 47 doubles wins, while Tanik vaulted into a tie for 10th with 46 career victories. 
• The match on Court 3 was abandoned following Elon's victory at the No. 1 spot. Freshmen Simone Bergeron and Ella Suk fell behind 4-1 but won the next five games and held a 5-4 advantage when the contest was halted. 
• The doubles point was Elon's second against a ranked opponent this season, as the Phoenix also took doubles against No. 31 Wake Forest on March 22. 
• The Rams responded in singles, winning at the Nos. 4-6 spots to take a 3-1 lead. 
• Needing all three points on Courts 1-3, Elon battled back after losing the first set in all three contests. 
• Tanik broke in the final game of her second set on Court 2 against VCU's Tania Isabel Andrade Sabando to win it 6-4 and force a decider. However, Sabando broke early in the set and held on to the advantage to close out a 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 VCU win, which clinched the match for the Rams.
• Shortly after the Rams secured the winning point, VCU's Yelizaveta Karlova retired while trailing 4-1 in the third set to Lizette Reding on Court 1. Lizette dropped the first set but broke in the final game of the second to win 6-4 and force a third. It was the 52^nd victory of Lizette's career, as she is now sixth alone on Elon's all-time Division I singles wins list. 
• Mariana Reding came back strong after losing her first set at the No. 3 spot against Anja Draskovic, taking the second 6-3. Like Tanik, Mariana was broken early and went on to lose the frame 6-3. 
• The loss was Elon's second at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center this season and the first since its first match at the facility on Feb. 9. The defeat snapped a 10-match home winning streak for Elon. 

 
UP NEXT
Elon travels for a crucial CAA clash with William & Mary on April 13 at 1 p.m. in Williamsburg. 
 
RESULTS
Singles
1. Lizette Reding (Elon) def. Yelizaveta Karlova (VCU) 5-7, 6-4, 4-1, retired
2. Tania Isabel Andrade Sabando (VCU) def. Sibel Tanik (Elon) 7-5, 4-6, 6-3
3. Anja Draskovic (VCU) def. Mariana Reding (Elon) 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
4. Emma Valetta (VCU) def. Ella Suk (Elon) 6-2, 6-1
5. Tiziana Rossini (VCU) def. Helen Sarikulaya (Elon) 6-0, 6-4
6. Emma Rizzetto (VCU) def. Simone Bergeron (Elon) 6-4, 6-1
 
Doubles
1. Sibel Tanik/Lizette Reding (Elon) def. Yelizaveta Karlova/Emma Valetta (VCU) 6-4
2. Madison Cordisco/Mariana Reding (Elon) def. Tiziana Rossini/Emma Rizzetto (VCU) 6-2
3. Simone Bergeron/Ella Suk (Elon) vs. Mariam Ibrahim/Anja Draskovic (VCU) 5-4, unfinished
 
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (4,6,5,2,1,3)