Elon, N.C. – The Elon University women's tennis team (17-5) will face No. 4 College of Charleston in the CAA semifinals Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center. The Phoenix earned a first-round bye, while the Cougars advanced with a win over UNCW.

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• The match will use clinch format for both doubles and singles. 
• Admission to JPTC is free for everyone throughout the entire tournament.

THE MATCHUP

• The Phoenix faced College of Charleston earlier this month in the regular season, winning 7-0. Prior to that match, the teams had met 20 times, with the Cougars winning 15 of those contests.

ABOUT THE PHOENIX

The Phoenix finished the regular season 17-5 with a six-match win streak and a perfect 4-0 record in conference play. The roster includes two freshmen (Heidi Bulger and Lisa Kranec), three sophomores (Simone Bergeron, Mariana Reding, and Ella Suk), two juniors (Helen Sarikulaya and Madison Cordisco), and one senior (Miray Konar). The team has found success in both singles and doubles, showcasing multiple pairings throughout the season.

One standout duo has been Bergeron and Reding, who play at No. 1 doubles. The pair finished the regular season 16-3 with a ten-match win streak and earned CAA Doubles Team of the Week honors in the season's opening week. As sophomores, they aim to continue their strong performance into the tournament.

Doubles strength has extended to courts No. 2 and 3 with various combinations, including Cordisco/Bulger, Kranec/Sarikulaya, Konar/Sarikulaya, and Konar/Bulger. Most recently, Konar and Bulger posted a 3-0 record to close the season and earned CAA Doubles Team of the Week honors. Bulger and Cordisco went 4-1 together and also received the award earlier this month. Sarikulaya has contributed 11 wins while pairing with Kranec and Konar. Overall, the team holds a 43-19 doubles record.

Elon's momentum carries into singles as well, with several matches coming down to decisive final courts. Bulger clinched key wins against South Carolina State and Liberty, while Reding secured the team's 17th win over William & Mary.

Cordisco and Kranec both finished 16-3 in singles, with Cordisco and Reding ending the season on six-match win streaks and Bulger on a ten-match streak. The team's overall singles record stands at 92-32.
Several players earned CAA Singles Player of the Week honors. Cordisco was recognized in the final week of the season for her resilience despite injuries. Sarikulaya earned the award in March after going 4-0 in singles and doubles. Bulger and Reding also received weekly honors for standout performances.

The foundation of Elon's success is Head Coach Elizabeth Anderson and Assistant Coach Ashe Ray. Anderson, in her 21st season, has led the program to over 300 career wins, 18 straight winning seasons, and is set to complete her 19th consecutive winning season in 2025.

CAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY

• This year marks the seventh time Elon has hosted the tournament. 
• Elon is 9-9 all-time in its nine appearances at the CAA Tournament. 
• Seven of Elon's nine tournament losses have come in the semifinal round. 
• The Phoenix reached its only CAA championship match when it hosted the event in 2022.  
• This is the first time Elon has ever been the No. 1 seed at the CAA Tournament. 

ABOUT THE COUGARS

• Charleston enters the tournament as the No. 4 seed.
• The Cougars ended the regular season 15-9, 4-3 in regular-season conference play.
• Charleston was the runner-up in the CAA tournament in the 2014 and 2015 seasons. 
• Last year, Charleston received the No. 3 seed but was upset by No. 6 UNCW in the quarterfinals.
• The Cougars are coached by Angelo Anastopoulo, who is in his 34th season as head coach. Anastopoulo is assisted by Billy Silcox. 

Up next: The winner of the match will advance to the championship match on Sunday at 10 a.m. to face the winner of No. 2 William & Mary and No. 3 Delaware.