SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The USC Upstate women's tennis team defeated Lipscomb 5-2 Saturday in Atlantic Sun Conference action at the Upstate Tennis Complex, extending the Spartans' winning-streak to four matches.
The four straight victories match a season-high for Upstate. The Spartans picked up wins Feb. 24-March 11 against Converse, Coastal Carolina, Jacksonville State and Coastal Georgia. After dropping matches to ETSU and North Florida to open A-Sun play, the Spartans righted the ship and rallied off four conference victories.
The Spartans (12-5, 4-2 A-Sun) once again claimed the doubles point as Isabel von Stryk and Talia Rojas started things off for Upstate, downing Lipscomb's (7-12, 2-5 A-Sun) Ayssa Bellini and Lorena Djuknic 8-2 at the No. 2 spot. The No. 3 doubles duo of Allison Beeler and Constanze Kuerten clinched the point with an 8-3 win over Shipa Naruka and Melissa Kromer, giving the Spartans a 1-0 advantage.
In singles play, Upstate jump ahead to a 3-0 lead, earning victories at the No. 6 and No. 2 slots. Julie Bell cruised to a 6-4, 6-2 win over Naruka on the sixth court, while Kuerten collected a 6-4, 6-0 victory against Djuknic at No. 2 singles.
LU's first point of the day came at No. 4 singles as Jenny Borck defeated Taylor Cohen 6-4, 6-1, putting the dual match score at 3-1. Beeler put the match away for Upstate at No. 5 singles, earning a hard-fought 7-6 (4-0), 6-3 victory over Bellini.
Despite the match already being decided, the Bisons kept things interesting at No. 1 singles as Deahna Welcher claimed the first set 6-2 for LU. However, von Stryk rallied back and took the next two sets 6-0 and 6-4, giving Upstate its fifth point. Lipscomb earned its second point of the day at the No. 3 spot as Kromer edged Rojas 7-6 (7-4), 2-6 and 10-7.
Upstate returns to action Sunday, hosting South Alabama at 11 a.m. in nonconference action. Follow the Spartans this season on your mobile device, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
USC Upstate 5, Lipscomb 2
Apr 06, 2013 at Spartanburg, S.C. (Upstate Tennis Complex)
| Singles competition |
| 1. Isabel von Stryk (UPSTW) def. Deahna Welcher (LIPW) 2-6, 6-0, 6-4 |
| 2. Constanze Kuerten (UPSTW) def. Lorena Djuknic (LIPW) 6-4, 6-0 |
| 3. Melissa Kromer (LIPW) def. Talia Rojas (UPSTW) 7-6 (7-4), 2-6, 10-7 |
| 4. Jenny Borck (LIPW) def. Taylor Cohen (UPSTW) 6-4, 6-1 |
| 5. Allison Beeler (UPSTW) def. Alyssa Bellini (LIPW) 7-6 (4-0), 6-3 |
| 6. Julie Bell (UPSTW) def. Shilpa Naruka (LIPW) 6-4, 6-2 |
| Doubles competition |
| 1. Deahna Welcher/Jenny Borck (LIPW) def. Taylor Cohen/Julie Bell (UPSTW) 8-7 (7-5) |
| 2. Isabel von Stryk/Talia Rojas (UPSTW) def. Alyssa Bellini/Lorena Djuknic (LIPW) 8-2 |
| 3. Allison Beeler/Constanze Kuerten (UPSTW) def. Shilpa Naruka/Melissa Kromer (LIPW) 8-3 |
| Match Notes |
| Lipscomb 7-12, 2-5 A-Sun |
| USC Upstate 12-5, 4-2 A-Sun |
| Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (6,2,4,5,1,3 |
