by Kevin Buczek
SPARTANBURG, S.C.-Barton College dominated play in its Conference Carolinas women's tennis opener winning 24 of 30 games in doubles and sweeping all six singles matches en route to a 9-0 road win at Converse College Saturday afternoon.
The Lady Bulldogs have won four straight dual matches to improve to 4-1 overall and 1-0 in the league. Barton concludes a weekend road trip to South Carolina with another conference match at Limestone College on Sunday at Noon.
Barton jumped out to the 3-nil advantage with blowout wins in all three doubles matches. Sophomore Smiljana Kljajic and freshman Ananya Sarkar picked up an 8-2 win paired together for the first time in the Lady Bulldogs top position. Juniors Meredith Pruden and Alicia Lasry had BC's most lopsided triumph, 8-1, at No. 2 while the freshman tandem of Randi Price and Dana Kelly improved to 2-0 with an 8-3 conquest at No. 3.
Kljajic (2-1) moved over .500 in BC's marquee singles position with a 6-2, 6-1 victory. Sarkar (2-0) remained undefeated in her young collegiate career with a 6-1, 6-3 success in the second slot. Lasry (2-1) had the task of playing the Valkyries most successful player last season in senior Marisa Esformes but was able to close out the straight-set win by extended scores of 7-5 and 8-6. Pruden (4-0) had little trouble staying undefeated at No. 4 winning 6-0, 6-1. Price (2-2) did not lose a game in a perfect 6-0, 6-0 thrashing at No. 5. Senior Caroline Fischer (2-0) completed the Lady Bulldogs success by coasting 6-1, 6-2 at No. 6.
Barton boasts a 17-4 singles record in dual matches.
Converse stayed winless on the season at 0-2 overall and 0-1 in the league.
