SAVANNAH, Ga. -- Barry University's women's tennis team knocked off No. 1 Armstrong State, the defending NCAA Division II national champions, 5-1, Friday at Armstrong Tennis Complex.
The Buccaneers pulled out a tight match at No. 3 doubles to take a 2-1 lead into singles. From there, the sixth-ranked Bucs coasted past their longtime rival.
Isabel Rapisarda Calvo won two matches, coming up big in doubles and singles, and
Sonja Larsen and
Ana Pain helped Barry close it out with singles victories after battling the No. 2-ranked doubles team in the country before falling at the top position.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Barry 5, Armstrong State 1
Records: Barry 11-0, Armstrong State 10-2
SUMMARY:
- Rapisarda Calvo and Verena Schmid beat Paula Boixader Roca and Tatjana Stoll, 8-5, at No. 3 pairs to give Barry a 2-1 lead after doubles.
- Zuza Maciejewska and Dasha Salnikova were on autopilot in winning their No. 2 doubles match, 8-1.
- Rapisarda Calvo coasted to a 6-0, 6-2 victory at No. 2 singles. That gave the Buccaneers a 3-1 lead.
- Larsen was a 6-2, 6-2 winner over 30th-ranked Tatjana Stoll at No. 3 singles.
- Pain clinched the match after beating Tamri Chalaganidze, 6-1, 6-3, at No. 5 singles.
NOTEWORTHY:
- Barry suffered its first doubles loss of the season.
- Coming into the season, Armstrong had a 166-match home win streak. Lynn and Barry have now beaten the Pirates at Armstrong Tennis Complex this season.
- The Bucs' last win over the Pirates came in the 2014 NCAA Division II championship match -- a 5-4 victory. Barry also beat Armstrong, 5-4, in the regular season that year.
ON THE HORIZON:
Barry plays No. 14 Valdosta State 9 a.m. Saturday in Savannah.
