March 20, 2010

Results

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford University women's tennis team picked up its biggest non-conference victory of the 2010 season Saturday as the Bulldogs knocked off the 67th-ranked Tulane Green Wave, 4-3, at home at the Samford Tennis Center.

With the win, Samford (9-5) earned its first victory against a ranked opponent this season and improved its record at home to 7-2. The Bulldogs have rattled off two straight wins at the Samford Tennis Center with their last home setback being a hard-fought 4-3 loss to Georgia State on March 5.

Tulane (8-7), which was the 67th-ranked team in the nation heading into Saturday's match, suffered its third straight defeat. On Wednesday, the Green Wave dropped a similar 4-3 decision against LSU in Baton Rouge, La., before falling short in yet another 4-3 heartbreaking setback Thursday versus 35th-ranked Purdue at the Goldring Tennis Complex.

Samford picked up Saturday's key doubles point as the Bulldogs' tandem of Rebecca Kirven and Andrie Meiring outlasted Tulane's combination of Lindsay Dvorak and Emma Helisten for the critical 9-7 win to clinch the point. Samford earned its opening doubles victory on court No. 1 as Lindsey Mallory and Taylor Morgan cruised to an 8-3 triumph.

The Bulldogs closed out their 4-3 victory Saturday with singles wins from Meiring, Madelie Janse Van Rensburg and Mallory. The clinching victory occurred on court No. 6 where Mallory rallied for a 7-6(4), 0-6, 6-2, triumph against the Green Wave's Hila Elster. With Mallory's victory, Samford clinched the thrilling 4-3 win and the Bulldogs' sophomore improved to 8-5 this season.

Samford's first two singles victories occurred on courts No. 2 and No. 3. The Bulldogs' Meiring tallied a 6-3, 6-1 win in the No. 2 singles match, while Janse van Rensburg outlasted Elizabeth Hamlin on court No. 3, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4.

With their respective victories, Meiring and Janse van Rensburg both improved to 7-6 on the season in singles play.

The Samford University women's tennis team will next be in action March 27 at noon (CDT) as the Bulldogs resume Southern Conference play with a home matchup against the Furman Paladins at the Samford Tennis Center.