Tigers Top Radford, 6-1 in Friday Afternoon Match

CLEMSON, S.C. – The Clemson Tigers earned their tenth win of the season after dominating Radford to secure a 6-1 victory at home. Five Tigers recorded singles wins with four of those victories being secured in the second-set.

“Tough weekend for us last weekend so it’s nice to get a good team win on the board and build momentum as we prepare to go down to Miami and Florida State,” Head Coach Boomer Saia said. “We look to take steps from this, learn from this and I think we have to continue to be the best version of ourselves mentally and physically as we go into the rest of the ACC season.”

In doubles, the Tigers brought the pressure early as the Clemson duo of Alexandra Anttila and Daniella Medvedeva were quick to secure a 6-3 victory over the Radford pairing of Michaela Stephens and Brooke Murphy. Shortly after the court three win, the Tiger duo of Jenna Thompson and Sophia Hatton took down Radford’s Lexi Smolder and Ameek Batth, 6-3 on court two. 

With two doubles wins, the Tigers clinched the doubles point to give them a 1-0 lead over the Highlanders.

The Tigers dominance continued in singles as Anttila earned a two-set victory (6-1,6-1) over Murphy, who was only able to record a single-point in each match. On court five, Leigh Van Zyl downed Radford’s Rachel Ekanem as she recorded a 6-2, 6-1 victory on court five to increase the Tigers lead, 3-0. 

On court four, Sophia Hatton topped Smolder in two-sets as she earned a 6-3, 6-2 victory. Following Hatton, Thompson was next to secure a win as she defeated Radford’s Emily Brandow, 6-3, 6-2 to improve the Tigers lead. 

Medvedeva sealed the victory for Clemson as she earned a comeback win on court two as she took down Stephens in an impressive 6-3, 4-6, 1-0 (10-7) win to finish out the match for the Tigers. 

Up next, the Tigers will head to Miami, Fla. on Friday, March 22 to take on the Hurricanes for their seventh ACC match of the season.

RESULTS: 

No. 53 Clemson (10-7), 6 vs Radford (2-10), 1

Doubles

1. Mayorova/Van Zyl (CU) vs. Abrams/Brandow (Rad), 4-4
2. Thompson/Hatton (CU) def. Smolder/Batth (Rad), 6-3
3. Anttila/Medvedeva (CU) def. Stephens/Murphy (Rad), 6-3

Order of Finish: 3, 2

Singles

1. Julia Abrams (Rad) def. Christina Mayorova (CU),  2-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-2)
2. Daniella Medvedeva (CU) def. Michaela Stephens (Rad), 6-3, 4-6, 1-0 (10-7)
3. Jenna Thompson (CU) def. Emily Brandow (Rad), 6-3, 6-2
4. Sophia Hatton (CU) def. Lexi Smolder (Rad), 6-3, 6-2
5. Leigh Van Zyl (CU) def. Rachel Ekanem (Rad), 6-2, 6-1
6. Alexandra Anttila (CU) def. Brooke Murphy (Rad),  6-1, 6-1

Order of Finish: 6, 5, 4, 3, 1, 2