BLACKSBURG, Va. –Despite a match going three sets and two others going into tiebreakers, Radford dropped its season opener, 7-0, to Elon Thursday afternoon at the Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center.
The Highlanders drop to 0-1 while Elon improves to 3-2.
In doubles action,
Mia Drobnjak (Zagreb, Croatia/Sportska Gimnazija) and
Mirna Matic (Umag, Croatia/Vladmir Gortan Buje) played a highly contested match with Paige Kensrue and Daleen Kloppers before dropping the contest, 8-6. The duo of
Emerald Lauzon (Bristol, Va./John S. Battle) and
Sarah Tegner (Sweden/Karlbergs Gymnasium) battled back to from a 5-0 deficit to make it 5-3 before eventually falling 8-3 to Briana Berne and Laura Graybill of Elon.
In singles action, Drobnjak dropped the first set, 6-0, but bounced back with the help of her strong serve to force a third and final set. She was ahead in the third set 2-1 before faltering and losing 6-2.
At No. 5 and No.6 singles both second sets went into a tiebreaker. Tegner, a sophomore transfer, playing in her first division I singles contest lost the first set 6-2 and was ahead in the second 5-4 before falling 7-5 in the tie-breaker. Lauzon battled back from 4-1 deficit to force a tiebreaker but eventually lost the tiebreaker 7-2.
The Highlanders return to action on Feb. 5 against Lehigh at 10:00 a.m.
Radford 0, Elon 7
Blacksburg, Va.-Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center
Doubles
1. Anna Milian/ Elisa Simonetti (Elon) def.
Petra Dajevic/
Ivana Tomaic (RU) 8-3
2. Darleen Kloppers/Paige Kensrue (Elon) def.
Mirna Matic/
Mia Drobnjak (RU) 8-6
3. Briana Berne/Laura Graybill (Elon) def.
Emerald Lauzon/Sarah Tegner (RU) 8-3
Singles
1. Anna Milian (Elon) def.
Mia Drobnjak (RU) 6-0, 4-6, 6-2
2. Paige Kensrue (Elon) def.
Ivana Tomaic (RU) 6-4, 6-3
3. Elisa Simonetta (Elon) def.
Petra Dajevic (RU) 6-3, 6-4
4. Briana Berne (Elon) def.
Mirna Matic (RU) 6-2, 6-2
5. Laura Sessoms (Elon) def. Sarah Tegner (RU) 6-2, 7-6
6. Laura Graybill (Elon) def.
Emerald Lauzon (RU) 6-2, 7-6
Order of finish: Doubles (3, 1, 2); Singles (4, 1, 3, 2, 6, 5,)
