BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford women's tennis team battled Belmont after a 13-day break on Saturday, falling in a 4-3 defeat at the Samford Tennis Center.
 
With the loss, Samford fell to 2-2 on the season. Belmont improved to 4-2 with the win.
 
Samford earned its points in the singles competition, with the No. 3, No. 4 and No. 6 courts, all resulting in Bulldog victories. At the No. 3 spot, Ally Hayduk defeated Belmont's Abigail Soloman, 6-3, 6-4. At No. 4, Noelle Mauro bested Anastasiya Zholdakova, 6-3, 7-5. Samantha Maras won on the No. 6 court with a victory over Hana Sokolovic 7-5, 6-1.
 
"As much as I hate to say this, we needed to lose a close 4-3 match like this early in the season," Samford head coach David Vest said. "We need to learn to approach the doubles point in the same way that we have been doing in our singles – with a ton of energy, positivity and a willingness to compete."
 
Belmont won the doubles matches on the No. 1 and No. 2 courts. The match at court No. 3 was not completed.
 
Vest continued, "Against good teams, and Belmont is a very solid, very well-coached team, you have to compete well from the beginning to the end, and we just didn't do that today."
 
The Bulldogs will look to bounce back against Southern Mississippi on Monday, Feb. 12. The match will be at the Samford Tennis Center and is scheduled for a 1:30 p.m. start.
 
Belmont – 4
Samford – 3
 
Doubles
Mariia Hlahola/Anastasiya Zholdakova – BEL def. Alexis Lopez/Emily Surcey – SAM: 6-0
Abigail Solomon/Viktoria Kliimand – BEL def. Noelle Mauro/Margaret Jaraczewski – SAM: 6-0
Hana Sokolovic/Vesa Gjinaj – BEL vs. Ally Hayduk/Lauren Waddles – SAM: 3-2 (unfinished)
 
Singles
Mariia Hlahola – BEL def. Alexis Lopez – SAM: 7-5, 6-4
Vesa Gjinaj – BEL def. Emily Surcey – SAM: 6-3, 6-2
Ally Hayduk – SAM def. Abigail Solomon – BEL: 6-3, 6-4
Noelle Mauro – SAM def. Anastasiya Zholdakova – BEL: 6-3, 7-5
Viktoria Kliimand – BEL def. Margaret Jaraczewski – SAM: 6-4, 5-7, 6-3
Samantha Maras – SAM def. Hana Sokolovic – BEL: 7-5, 6-1
 
 
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