by Kevin Buczek
WILSON, N.C.-The Barton College women's tennis team used four straight set victories in singles to complete a 6-3 Southeast Region victory over visiting Lenoir-Rhyne University on Saturday afternoon at the Barton Tennis Complex.
Freshman Ananya Sarkar, junior Alicia Lasry, junior Meredith Pruden and freshman Randi Price all won from two to five in the lineup, respectively, as the Lady Bulldogs moved to 8-4 on the season.
The Bear were unable to produce wins on consecutive days to fall to 5-8 overall.
Barton took a 2-1 edge after doubles with convincing wins in the second and third flights. Lasry and Pruden disposed of their foes 8-4 and Price worked with senior Caroline Fischer in producing a lopsided 8-2 win. The Lady Bulldogs nearly swept doubles but Sarkar and sophomore Smiljana Kljajic lost in a tiebreaker by a score of 9-8 (4).
Lasry-Pruden moved over .500 at 4-3 while Price-Fischer are undefeated at 2-0.
Price (3-5) only lost one game in registering a 6-1, 6-0 triumph at No. 5 singles. Sarkar (5-3) nearly accomplished the same feat in dominating her No. 2 tilt by matching scores of 6-1. Lasry (5-4) needed a tiebreaker win to close out her No. 3 victory of 6-1, 7-6 (3) while Pruden (8-3) picked up her team-high eighth win – 6-1, 6-0 – at No. 4.
Lasry and Pruden have both won three consecutive singles matches.
The Royal Blue and White is 5-1 at home.
Barton is next scheduled to play at Catawba College on Tuesday at 2 p.m. The Lady Bulldogs defeated the Indians, 5-0, in the Conference Carolinas/SAC Challenge hosted by BC in October.
