by Kevin Buczek
MURFREESBORO, N.C.-Barton College took a 2-1 lead after doubles and singles wins from the bottom half of the Lady Bulldogs lineup secured a 5-4 NCAA Division II women's tennis victory over host Chowan University on Tuesday afternoon at the Hawks Tennis Complex.
Barton rose to 4-2 overall after registering its third straight win. Chowan won its first three matches of the season but has now lost four consecutive dual matches to slip below .500 at 3-4.
Sophomore Meredith Pruden and junior Caroline Fischer and Kristy Lievense all coasted to straight-set wins positioned from fourth to sixth in the lineup to seize the team conquest of Chowan. Pruden coasted to a 6-1, 6-0 result and Fischer had the most dominating victory by winning 12 straight games. Pruden and Fischer both improved to 4-2 in singles matches. Lievense ascended to 4-0 by tallying a 6-3, 6-1 win.
The Hawks swooped in for wins at the top three slots to only lose by the narrowest of margins. Nata Kamenshchikova knocked off Barton freshman Smiljana Kljajic 6-2, 7-5 for her team-leading sixth singles win. Breanne Johnson (5-2) and Holly Egnor (1-2) had the other wins for the home team.
Kamenshchikova-Johnson won the marquee doubles match 8-3 to give Chowan its first point but Barton took the other two doubles tilts.
Pruden-Kljajic (4-1) ruled the middle match 8-1. Fischer partnered with senior Francesca Del Pozo for an 8-4 verdict that gave the Lady Bulldogs the 2-1 advantage heading into singles. Fischer-Del Pozo leveled their record to 3-3.
Barton returns to Conference Carolinas competition when the Lady Bulldogs entertain Converse College on Saturday at Noon.
