BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – After a 13-day break from match action, the Belmont University women's tennis team returned to play Saturday afternoon at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. The host Bulldogs (5-2) handed the Bruins (1-1) their first loss of the season in a 6-1 affair as junior
Libbie Hamilton claimed Belmont's lone point of the day.
Outdoors at the Samford Tennis Center, Hamilton prevailed in a third-set super tiebreaker at No. 5 singles against Samford's Meredith Taylor. Despite dropping the first set, 6-1, Hamilton stayed the course and evened the match with a 7-5 set two win before pulling out the deciding 10-point tiebreaker, 10-6.
Both seniors
Viktoria Kliimand and
Anastasiya Zholdakova also took their opponents to three sets at No. 2 and No. 1 singles, respectively, but were unable to close things out in super tiebreakers. Zholdakova overcame a 6-1 first-set loss to the Bulldogs' Emily Surcey at the top singles spot with a 6-2 second set win but fell 10-3 in the tiebreak. Kliimand was edged 10-5 in the decisive tiebreaker on court two versus Samford's Margaret Jaraczewski.
Despite the Bruins' best effort, the Bulldogs swept all three doubles matches. The duo of Zholdakova and fellow senior
Aly Getty forced a tiebreaker on court one but Samford's Libby Blair and Surcey escaped 7-4.
Up Next
Belmont remains in Birmingham and takes on UAB late Sunday morning. First serve from the Hoover Met Tennis Complex is scheduled for 11 a.m. Next weekend, the Bruins return to the Music City and host Austin Peay Friday before heading to Middle Tennessee Saturday.
How to Follow
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.
#ItsBruinTime
