by Benny Benton
HICKORY, N.C. – Barton College's Smiljana Kljajic earned victories at both No. 1 singles and doubles, but Lenoir-Rhyne claimed the non-conference women's tennis match by a 6-3 margin Saturday.
Kljajic, a junior from Serbia, teamed with Alicia Lasry to post an 8-2 win in the doubles contest, and held off L-R's Dominique Bruce in a super-set tiebreaker in singles, 10-4, after splitting the first two sets.
However, the Lady Bulldogs (3-7) won just one more match in the contest, that one at No. 4 singles where Dana Kelly blanked her opponent, 6-0, 6-0. Lasry suffered a narrow loss at No. 2 singles, fighting to 14-12 in a super-set tiebreaker third frame.
The Bears (6-7) also took victories at No. 3 and No. 5 singles and No. 2 doubles. Barton gave up two more points by forfeit at No. 6 singles and No. 3 doubles.
The loss was the third in a row for the Lady Bulldogs since their three-match conference win streak.
Barton hopes to get back into the win column on Tuesday when it hosts William Peace University in a 5 p.m. non-conference match at the Barton Tennis Complex.
LENOIR-RHYNE 6, BARTON 3
Singles
1. Smiljana Kljajic (BARTON) def. Dominique Bruce (LR) 6-0, 3-6, 1-0 (10-4)
2. Lucy Stofberg (LR) def. Alicia Lasry (BARTON) 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 (14-12)
3. Lela Sparks Thompson (LR) def. Lorraine Chon-Qui (BARTON) 6-0, 6-2
4. Dana Kelly (BARTON) def. Meaghan Liner (LR) 6-0, 6-0
5. Maggie Brown (LR) def. Casey Utley (BARTON) 6-0, 6-0
6. Amanda Bryan (LR) def. No player (BARTON), by forfeit
Doubles
1. Smiljana Kljajic/Alicia Lasry (BARTON) def. Dominique Bruce/Lucy Stofberg (LR) 8-2
2. Lela Sparks Thompson/Taylor Snowdon (LR) def. Lorraine Chon-Qui/Dana Kelly (BARTON) 8-4
3. Jessica Rumple/Amanda Bryan (LR) def. No player/No player (BARTON), by forfeit
Records
Barton 3-7
Lenoir-Rhyne 6-7
