ELON, N.C. – When sophomores
Simone Bergeron and
Mariana Reding take the court at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center, they bring the energy. Whether dominating at No. 1 doubles or competing side by side at No. 1 and No. 2 singles, the duo lifts each other up with constant cheers – a boost that helps take on any opponent.
On Wednesday afternoon, the two used that energy to make quick work of UNCG, leading the Elon University women's tennis team to a 6-1 victory.
Bergeron and Reding's dominant performance began early as the duo made quick work of their doubles opponents, not dropping a game and cruising to a 6-0 win.
"We have the plays that we know work," Bergeron said. "Mariana stands back there, she sets me up perfectly at net and we just play to our strengths."
The win marked the eighth straight doubles victory for the pair. Both said their chemistry on the court is unmatched.
"It's just so easy with us," Bergeron said. "It just naturally falls into place and our energy is so good and we just feed off of each other."
"She knows what I'm doing, I know what she's doing and it matches so well," Reding added. "It is so easy to play with her. We have a good time, we laugh and we just have fun during the match. I play with no fear, no nerves, we just do our thing."
Finishing their doubles match first, Bergeron and Reding stayed on Court 1 to cheer on the rest of their teammates. Soon after, senior Miray Konar and freshman Heidi Bulger secured a 6-3 win at No. 3 doubles to clinch the doubles point for Elon.
Bergeron carried her momentum from doubles to singles, where she dominated her opponent Olivia Gallagher with strong serve returns and quick play at the net. She lost only one game the entire day, going 6-1, 6-0, at the No. 1 singles spot which put the Phoenix up 2-0.
"I really just went out there and I was like, 'I'm just going to be super aggressive, come to net when I can and just take the ball super early,'" Bergeron said.
Reding, competing adjacent to Bergeron at the No. 2 position, was able to catch glimpses of her match, noting how dominant her teammate was.
"Simone's singles? Insane. Every time I looked it was a winner. I was like, 'Give the girl a break,'" Reding laughed.
Reding fell behind 3-0 in her first set, but Bergeron kept encouraging her, urging her to stay focused and confident.
"Even when she's down, I have no fear in Mar," Bergeron said of Reding. "No doubts. I'm like, 'Mar you're going to get it from here.' She's totally fine. She's done it all the time."
Reding said having Bergeron's support next to her helps her remain calm, even when down early.
"For me, it's a simulation of doubles," Reding said. "So every time I would miss a point, I would yell, 'Let's go Simone,' just as a reminder that she's still there."
Reding mounted a comeback, defeating her opponent Alexandra Dodashev 7-5 in the first set. She ultimately took the win after Dodashev retired with Reding ahead in the second set.
Ahead 3-0, Bergeron and Reding's day was done. The two made their voices heard at the other courts by shouting and encouraging their teammates as the Phoenix finished out the match with a 6-1 win.
"We have a very strong team," Reding said. "You can feel the energy of everyone being together, and it's more fun like that."
The win marked the team's fourth consecutive victory. Elon will return to the JPTC on Sunday, April 13, at noon against Norfolk State in the team's annual Senior Day. The Phoenix will honor lone senior Miray Konar prior to the match.
"We just need to keep the momentum going," Bergeron said. "We go into each match with a lot of energy and just look to have fun. That's my goal going out here, when you're having fun you're playing better, so I think we'll keep the momentum going and celebrate our girl Miray on Sunday."
'Rising Phoenix' is a student-led initiative to cover Elon Athletics. Through innovative content creation and storytelling, Elon University students will have the opportunity to highlight the moments, people and events that make an impact, leveraging the athletic department's various web and social media platforms for distribution. Follow Rising Phoenix on X (@EURisingPhoenix) and Instagram (@elonrisingphoenix). Interested in joining this initiative as a content creator (video, graphics, writing, storytelling, or more)? Contact Chase Strawser at cstrawser@elon.edu.
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