Women's Tennis Earns 4-3 Win at Samford Saturday Afternoon

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Outdoors at the Samford Tennis Center in Birmingham, Alabama, the Belmont University women's tennis team earned its first true road victory of the season Saturday afternoon with a gritty, 4-3 win over Samford. Improving to 4-2 on the young season, the Bruins got another match-clinching triumph from junior Viktoria Kliimand at No. 5 singles.
 
Belmont was impressive in doubles action, taking the top two doubles matches without dropping a single game. The tandem of sophomore Mariia Hlahola and junior Anastasiya Zholdakova downed the Bulldogs' Alexis Lopez and Emily Surcey 6-0 at No. 1 doubles while the junior duo of Abi Solomon and Kliimand breezed past Samford's Noelle Mauro and Margaret Jaraczewski 6-0 at No. 2 doubles.
 
With the doubles point in hand, the Bruins flexed their strength at the top of the singles lineup. Hlahola and freshman Vesa Gjinaj both won their singles matches in straight sets. At the top spot, Hlahola defeated the Bulldogs' Lopez 7-5, 6-4 and Gjinaj earned a convincing 6-3, 6-2 win over Surcey at No. 2 singles.
 
Samford (2-2) evened the match with straight-set wins at No. 3, No. 4 and No. 6 singles.
 
Knotted at 3-3, the match came down to Kliimand versus the Bulldogs' Jaraczewski on court five. After Kliimand took the opening set, 6-4, Jaraczewski claimed set two, 7-5. In the deciding third set it was Kliimand who prevailed, 6-3.
 
Kliimand began Belmont's 2024 campaign with a three-set clinching match at No. 5 singles against the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
 
Up Next
The Bruins return to action Sunday morning in Birmingham, wrapping up their strenuous six-match road swing with Southern Miss in a neutral-site affair. First serve from the Samford Tennis Center is slated for 8 a.m. Next Saturday, Belmont returns to the Music City to host Gonzaga.
 
Follow Belmont women's tennis on social media – @BelmontWTennis on X, formerly Twitter, @belmontwtennis on Instagram and Belmont Women's Tennis on Facebook – 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.