by Kevin Buczek
ROCKY MOUNT, N.C.-Defending Conference Carolinas women's tennis champions Erskine College opened up Conference Carolinas play with a 9-0 sweep of host Barton College at the Belmont Farms Racquet Club on Friday evening.
The Flying Fleet – ranked 44th in NCAA Division II and fifth in the Southeast Region – improved to 4-2 overall and 1-0 in the league. The Lady Bulldogs dipped to 4-2 and 1-2.
Erskine jumped out to the 3-nil advantage with 8-3, 8-4, and 8-2 wins in doubles. Barton juniors Meredith Pruden and Alicia Lasry proved to provide the toughest test for the Fleet in the middle doubles match. Corin Hallman and Mika Goyette are ranked the fifth best doubles team in the region and highlighted the early matches with a win in the top doubles bout.
Due to rain forcing the move from the Barton Tennis Complex in Wilson, N.C., to the indoor facility about 30 minutes away, the two conference institutions agreed to play all singles matches as super sets instead of the standard best 2 of 3 sets with only three courts available compared to BC's normal 12-court facility.
Sophomore Smiljana Kljajic had the task of playing the reigning Conference Carolinas Player of the Year and she gave Hallman some good competition before falling 8-4. Kljajic had a three-match win streak come to an end by Hallman, who is ranked as the 13th best singles player in the Southeast Region.
Freshman Ananya Sarkar had her toughest test of her young career, losing to 17th region ranked Miranda Guthrie 8-1.
Erskine dominated the middle two singles matches only losing one game before the Flying Fleet were tested a little more at No. 5 and No. 6 by a couple Barton seniors. Caroline Fischer lost 8-3 in the fifth position and Kristy Lievense was defeated 8-4 in the sixth slot.
Barton will have a week to prepare for its next opponent when the Lady Bulldogs entertain league foe North Greenville on Saturday, March 1 at 1 p.m.
