Women's Tennis Beats Southern Illinois

Saturday, January 16

Louisville, Ky.

3:30 PM

University of Louisville

Southern Illinois

January 16, 2016 | Women's Tennis

Cards win 5-2 and move to 2-0 in dual season.

By: Nancy Worley

The University of Louisville women's tennis team took the doubles point and then held on to win four singles matches for the 5-2 win over Southern Illinois at the Bass-Rudd Tennis Center Saturday evening.

"We made a very good effort to beat a team that was very excited to play us. We have played them the last few years and I could tell that this year they came here to beat us and had every belief that they could," said UofL head coach Mark Beckham. "We played well enough to win but sstill have a ways to go. I am happy with the way we performed."

The No. 3 doubles team of Elle Stokes and Jessie Paul defeated Yana Golovkina and Athena Chrysanthou 6-2 and then the point was clinched when Sena Suswam and Ariana Rodriguez beat SIU's Vitoria Beirao and Meagan Monaghan 6-4.

The Salukis caught a break early in the singles play when UofL's Elle Stokes had to retire for a loss at No. 1 singles. But the Cards answered quickly with a win at No. 6 from Ariana Rodriguez, who cruised to a 6-0, 6-2 win over Polina Dozortseva. Cardinal transfer Abbie Pahz put UofL back on top with a 6-3, 6-3 win at No. 3 over Yana Golovkina. SIU got another point at No. 2, when Meagan Monaghan rolled 6-0, 6-2 over Sena Suswam. But the Cards clinched the match when Olivia Boesing won 6-4, 6-2 over Vitoria Beirao at No. 5. UofL added its last point when Jessie Paul outlasted Ana Sofia Cordero 6-1, 7-5 at No. 4.

The Cardinals have Northern Kentucky next on January 23 at 2 p.m. in the Bass-Rudd Tennis Center.

Tennis Match Results
Southern Illinois University vs Louisville
Jan 16, 2016 at Louisville, Ky,
(Bass-Rudd Tennis Center)

Louisville 5, Southern Illinois University 2

Singles competition
1. Athena Chrysanthou (SIU) def. Elle Stokes (LOU) 6-2, 3-0, retired
2. Meagan Monaghan (SIU) def. Sena Suswam (LOU) 6-0, 6-2
3. Abbie Pahz (LOU) def. Yana Golovkina (SIU) 6-3, 6-3
4. Jessie Lynn Paul (LOU) def. Ana Sofia Cordero (SIU) 6-1, 7-5
5. Olivia Boesing (LOU) def. Vitoria Beirao (SIU) 6-4, 6-2
6. Ariana Rodriguez (LOU) def. Polina Dozortseva (SIU) 6-0, 6-2

Doubles competition
1. Abbie Pahz/Olivia Boesing (LOU) vs. Ana Sofia Cordero/Xiwei Cai (SIU) 5-3, unfinished
2. Sena Suswam/Ariana Rodriguez (LOU) def. Vitoria Beirao/Meagan Monaghan (SIU) 6-4
3. Elle Stokes/Jessie Lynn Paul (LOU) def. Yana Golovkina/Athena Chrysanthou (SIU) 6-2

Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (1,6,3,2,5,4)
T-2:09 A-119