No. 13 Clemson Closes Regular Season with 6-1 Victory

WINSTON-SALEM, NC – The 13th ranked Clemson women’s tennis team has won ten of their last eleven matches in closing the regular season with a 6-1 win at Wake Forest (3-18, 2-9 ACC) on Sunday. With the victory, Clemson improves to 14-6 overall and 9-2 in conference, and can finish no worse than a tie for second in the league standings.  Seeding for this week’s ACC Tournament will be announced on Monday evening, as North Carolina and Boston College will play Monday at 1:00 pm in a match that was rescheduled. The Tournament begins on Thursday, but by virtue of a top-four finish, Clemson earns a bye and will play Friday.  The 9-2 record is tied for the second-most ACC wins in a season for Clemson, trailing only the 2007 mark of 10-1, and equaling the 2009 and 2010 ledgers. The top three players in Clemson’s lineup went a combined 29-3 (.906) in ACC play this season.  Clemson improved to 8-0 this season when winning the doubles point. For the second straight day, the Tigers won on courts one and three to claim the point. After Tristen Dewar and Romy Koelzer were defeated on court two, 8-1, the freshman group of Liz Jeukeng and Ani Miao won, 8-4 on court three. On court one, sophomores Yana Koroleva and Beatrice Gumulya beat Kathryn Talbert and Kasey Gardiner, 8-4 to clinch the point. Koroleva and Gumulya improved to 7-1 together this season.  In singles, Clemson swept the first five courts en route to their 11th straight win over the Demon Deacons.  No. 27 Liz Jeukeng bounced back after her first ACC loss on Saturday to dispatch Gardiner, 6-1, 6-1 and finish her freshman ACC season at 10-1. Jeukeng is 17-4 overall on the year.  Ani Miao finished her freshman season 7-3, as she earned a 6-2, 6-1 win over Karen Forman on court four to give Clemson the 3-0 lead.  Gumulya, playing on court three, clinched the match with a 6-4, 6-3 win against Xue Zhang. Gumulya, who is ranked 35th in the nation, has now won seven matches in a row, and is 22-4 this season. She has gone 33-4 over her last 37 matches, and through two seasons, is 19-2 in ACC play.  Yana Koroleva needed three sets to defeat No. 99 Kathryn Talbert on court one. After the Deacon senior won the first set, 6-2, Koroleva roared back with a 6-1, 6-2 response to up her 2013 ACC record to 10-1. She is 21-7 overall this season, with 13 wins against ranked opponents.  Tristen Dewar earned Clemson’s final point on court five, topping Andrea Retolaza, 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 (4) to give the Tigers a 6-0 lead. Dewar improved to 17-12 in her debut season, and evened her record at 3-3 on court five. She also locked up a winning ACC record of 6-5.  On court six, Wake’s Catherine Roach beat Carola Pederzani, 5-7, 7-6(2), 1-0(6) to get Wake Forest on the board.  Clemson will learn seeding on Monday. The Tigers can finish in a tie for first with 9-2 Virginia and UNC if Boston College is able to knock off the top-ranked Tar Heels on Monday. Otherwise, Clemson and Virginia will tie for second, and Clemson defeated the Cavaliers head-to-head, 4-3, last week.  #13 Clemson 6, Wake Forest 1 Apr 21, 2013 at Winston-Salem, N.C. (Leighton Courts) Singles competition 1. #18 Yana Koroleva (CU) def. #99 Kathryn Talbert (WF) 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 2. #27 Liz Jeukeng (CU) def. Kasey Gardiner (WF) 6-1, 6-1 3. #35 Beatrice Gumulya (CU) def. Xue Zhang (WF) 6-4, 6-3 4. Ani Miao (CU) def. Karen Forman (WF) 6-2, 6-1 5. Tristen Dewar (CU) def. Andrea Retolaza (WF) 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-4) 6. Catherine Roach (WF) def. Carola Pederzani (CU) 5-7, 7-6 (7-2), 1-0 (10-6) Doubles competition 1. Yana Koroleva/Beatrice Gumulya (CU) def. Kathryn Talbert/Kasey Gardiner (WF) 8-4 2. Karen Forman/Xue Zhang (WF) def. Tristen Dewar/Romy Koelzer (CU) 8-1 3. Liz Jeukeng/Ani Miao (CU) def. Catherine Roach/Andrea Retolaza (WF) 8-4 Match Notes: Clemson 14-6 (9-2 ACC); National ranking #13 Wake Forest 3-18 (2-9 ACC) Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (2,4,3,1,5,6) T-3:48 A-116