Women's Tennis Blanks Lee to Begin 2023 Campaign

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Belmont University women's tennis team is off to a 1-0 start following its dominant season opening win Sunday over NCAA Division II member Lee University. The Bruins dropped only one set en route to a 7-0 victory indoors at the Ensworth Tennis Center.
 
Sweeping singles action, Belmont won two of the three doubles matches to take the all-important first point.
 
Graduate student Meredith Roberts and sophomore Anastasiya Zholdakova teamed up at No. 2 doubles to defeat the Lady Flames' Maria Duarte and Micaela Maiz 6-4, while sophomore Viktoria Kliimand and senior Taylor Trondson cruised to a 6-1 win over Elizaveta Gnilozubova and Mirjana Ragastovac at No. 3 doubles.
 
Lee's lone match win came at the top doubles spot where Ashleigh Simes and Matina Ujdur got past freshman Mariia Hlahola and sophomore Abi Solomon, 6-2.
 
Kliimand gave the Bruins a 2-0 lead with a convincing 6-0, 6-1 win at No. 4 singles against Ujdur and Zholdakova made it 3-0 with a 6-3, 6-0 win over the Lady Flames' Ragastovac at the third singles spot. Hlahola gave up just three games at the top singles position, claiming a 6-1, 6-2 triumph against Simes.
 
Roberts clinched the match win for Belmont with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Lee's Gnilozubova at No. 5 singles. With identical 6-4 set wins, Trondson bested Duarte at No. 6 singles before Solomon closed out the day. After a 6-2 first set, Solomon prevailed in a 7-3 second set tiebreak against the Lady Flames' Maiz.
 
First-year program leader Dané Vorster collects her first win as a head coach.
 
Up Next
The Bruins return to match action next weekend when they travel to Evansville, Indiana, Friday to take on Austin Peay in a non-conference affair at 2:30 p.m. Next Saturday, Belmont hosts Central Arkansas at the Ensworth Tennis Center.
 
Follow Belmont women's tennis on social media – @BelmontWTennis on Twitter and @belmontwtennis on Instagram – for complete coverage of the Bruins. Stay up to date with all of Belmont's athletic programs via the official app of the Belmont Bruins, available both in the Apple App Store and on Google Play.