March 12, 2011

Results

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford University women's tennis team picked up a pair of non-conference victories Saturday as the Bulldogs earned a doubleheader sweep against the UT Martin Skyhawks 6-1 and the Murray State Racers 7-0 in an afternoon-long competition held at the Samford Tennis Center.

With the pair of victories, Samford (9-1) increased its winning streak to three straight matches and remained undefeated at home this season. The Bulldogs have compiled a perfect 6-0 record at the Samford Tennis Center in 2011.

Against UT Martin (4-6), Samford lost the match-opening doubles point, but then swept the singles competition to earn a decisive 6-1 team victory. In singles play, the Bulldogs' Taylor Morgan, Andrie Meiring, Madelie Janse Van Rensburg, Kristin Lewis, Rebecca Kirven and Lindsey Mallory all registered straight-set victories in the win.

In the second match of Saturday's twin bill, Samford breezed past Murray State (3-8) by winning all nine contests of the competition.

The Bulldogs swept doubles play and then cruised to straight-set victories in five of the six singles matches. Samford's Morgan, Meiring, Janse Van Rensburg, Kirven and Lewis all tallied quick straight-set wins in the singles competition.

Emily Mallory, the Bulldogs' talented sophomore from Louisville, Ky., competed in one of the closest matches of the day Saturday as she outlasted Murray State's Carla Suga, 3-6, 6-3, 10-8, in the No.6 singles contest. With the come-from-behind victory, Mallory improved her record in singles play this season to 1-0.

Samford's Janse Van Rensburg and Lewis both boast the team's best singles marks this year with identical tallies of 9-1, while Mallory sits at 8-1 and Kirven owns an 8-2 record in dual play.

In doubles play this season, the Bulldogs' combination of Lindsey Mallory and Morgan owns the team's best record with a mark of 7-3. Samford's aforementioned doubles tandem has improved its winning streak to three-consecutive matches.

The Samford University women's tennis team will next be in action March 19 at 2 p.m. (CST) as the Bulldogs begin a two-match road trip to New Orleans, La., against the University of New Orleans Privateers. Samford will then face off against Tulane at noon on March 20.