CLEMSON, S.C. – The No. 46 Clemson women’s tennis team (12-6, 2-5 ACC) pulled off an impressive 6-1 victory over the No. 25 Syracuse Orange on Friday at the Duckworth Family Tennis Facility. The Tigers came out hot to win the doubles point and followed that up with four straight-set victories in singles play to snap a five-match losing streak.
“Today’s win came down to dedication and commitment to the process,” remarked Head Coach Amy Sargeant. “It’s really easy to back down when you take multiple losses in a row, but not this team, not today.”
The doubles pair of Jenna Thompson and Leigh Van Zyl as well as the pairing of Cristina Mayorova and Dani Medvedeva each earned 6-3 victories to put the Tigers up early. This marked the first doubles point earned by Clemson in seven matches, dating back to its 7-0 win over Coastal Carolina on February 19.
“We got off to a good start in doubles, playing aggressive on both sides on the serve and return. This gave us momentum going into singles. We have been working on playing on our terms using a tight court and taking opportunities to strike first.”
Medvedeva, ranked No. 125 in singles this season, extended her winning streak to five matches on Friday, advancing to 14-1 on the season with a convincing 6-2, 6-4 victory. Eleni Louka picked up a ranked win, defeating No. 84 Zeynep Erman handily, 6-4, 6-2.
Sophia Hatton also stayed hot, moving to 11-2 on the year with a 6-3, 6-3 win on Court 5.
Thompson showed unbelievable resilience on Court 3. She went down 5-0 before taking seven straight games to win the first set. Then, down 2-5, she suffered an ankle injury that looked like it could force her to retire the match, but she recovered and ended up dominating the superset 10-1 to take the match 7-5, 4-6, 1-0 (10-1)
“Our girls played disciplined tennis from start to finish and held focus on a different level. They have brought into the championship mindset, and I’m excited to see what else Team 48 can achieve.”
Up next, Clemson has a doubleheader scheduled for Sunday, March 19 against Boston College and Chattanooga. First serve against Boston College is set for 11 a.m., while the backend of the doubleheader will begin at 4 p.m.
For all the most up-to-date information regarding Clemson women’s tennis, visit ClemsonTigers.com and follow @ClemsonWTennis on Twitter and Instagram.
