Box Score Box ScoreMIAMI SHORES, Fla. – Barry University women's tennis team made a statement Tuesday in a big conference match.
The No. 2 Buccaneers swept No. 4 Nova Southeastern, 9-0, at Buccaneer Tennis Center. The win put Barry (15-1, 6-0 Sunshine State Conference) in good position to win the regular season league title. The loss was the first this year for Nova (16-1, 6-1).
"I think we're in a great position now to win the regular season," Bucs coach
Avi Kigel said. "We have two more matches that we have to win, but we feel confident if we keep working hard and doing the things we've been doing, we'll be successful. That's our first goal of the year, and hopefully we'll accomplish it.
"I'm very happy about the team effort. We came out in singles and doubles ready to play, and the results show it."
Barry, which has won 11 in a row, will finish the conference regular season with a Saturday match at No. 38 Rollins and at home against No. 5 Saint Leo on April 18. The Bucs also host No. 16 Flagler at 2 p.m. Sunday in a non-conference match.
The Bucs won the first point in doubles at the No. 3 flight as
Elisabeth Abanda and
Jasi Witherspoon beat Linda Kornienko and Iryna Serdyuk, 8-2. It was their ninth win together. Barry's No. 3-ranked
Linda Fritschken and
Emma Onila beat Alex Kaeser and Alexandra Johansson, 8-1, at No. 2 doubles. It was their first match together since March 10, with Onila sidelined for a month due to injury. Barry swept doubles play as ninth-ranked
Ana Pain and
Sonja Larsen fought off a late rally by Nova's Petra Jurova and Irina Constantinide to win 8-6 at the top spot. Barry's duo led 5-2, but the Sharks evened the match at 6-6 before the Bucs won the final two games.
Sixth-ranked Larsen picked up the first singles point when 13
th-ranked Sabrina Kierberg retired in the first set, down 3-0.
Ana Pain clinched the victory with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Carlee Rizzolo at No. 5 singles.
Fritschken, ranked 27
th, beat Johansson, 6-0, 6-1, at No. 4 singles. Onila, who had only played five singles matches before getting injured, was a 6-0, 6-2 winner over Kaeser at No. 3.
"I was very happy to see Emma back in the lineup and playing again," Kigel said. "It wasn't her best tennis, but she was moving well."
Abanda knocked off No. 25-ranked Jurova, 6-1, 6-2, at No. 2 singles. It was her second straight win over a ranked opponent in as many matches. It was Jurova's first loss this season.
Jasi Witherspoon beat Bianca Roberts, 6-1, 7-5, at No. 6 singles to complete the sweep.
"Probably the most impressive win was by
Elisabeth Abanda in both singles and doubles," Kigel said. "She's been taking control of the matches. The girl she beat in singles was unbeaten, and playing very well. A very impressive win for Bess, and a great win for her."
