by Benny Benton
WILSON, N.C. – Barton College received singles wins from Meredith Pruden and Lorraine Chon-Qui along with a doubles victory from the No. 1 duo of Smiljana Kljajic and Alicia Lasry, but perennial women's tennis power Erskine College came away with a 6-3 Conference Carolinas victory Friday at the Barton Tennis Complex.
Erskine improved to 7-2 this year in league play and 7-9 overall. Barton slipped to 6-9 overall and 5-3 in league play.
The win by Kljajic and Lasry came against an Erskine duo that included three-time all-conference selection Mika Goyette. Barton nearly had a second win at No. 2 doubles after Pruden and Chon-Qui surged out to a 6-3 lead, but the Fleet stormed back to take the final five games and the pro-set, 8-6. Miranda Guthrie, who later played in the No. 1 singles slot for the Fleet, led that comeback.
Erskine also claimed No. 3 doubles, 8-0, to head into singles play with a 2-1 lead, and Goyette pushed the advantage to two points with a win at No. 2 singles. Pruden outlasted Mikaela Bennett, Goyette's partner at No. 1 doubles, in a three-set match, 6-1, 2-6, 6-4, to get the Lady Bulldogs back within one at 3-2, but Guthrie's win in the No. 1 slot put EC back up by two.
Chon-Qui helped Barton pull within a point one more time with her straight-set victory at No. 4 singles, 6-0, 7-5, over 2014 all-conference pick Haley Elliott, but the Fleet's Mollie Polk and Rebecca Weaver both won in straight sets at No. 5 and No. 6, respectively, to close out the win.
The Lady Bulldogs hope to quickly get back into the win column when they take on Emmanuel College noon Saturday at the Barton Tennis Complex.
ERSKINE 6, BARTON 3
Singles
1. Miranda Guthrie (ERSKINE) def. Smiljana Kljajic (BARTON) 6-3, 6-2
2. Mika Goyette (ERSKINE) def. Alicia Lasry (BARTON) 6-1, 6-0
3. Meredith Pruden (BARTON) def. Mikaela Bennett (ERSKINE) 6-1, 2-6, 6-4
4. Lorraine Chon-Qui (BARTON) def. Haley Elliott (ERSKINE) 6-0, 7-5
5. Mollie Polk (ERSKINE) def. Dana Kelly (BARTON) 6-3, 6-0
6. Rebecca Weaver (ERSKINE) def. Casey Utley (BARTON) 6-1, 6-0
Doubles
1. Smiljana Kljajic/Alicia Lasry (BARTON) def. Mika Goyette/Mikaela Bennett (ERSKINE) 8-6
2. Miranda Guthrie/Haley Elliott (ERSKINE) def. Meredith Pruden/Lorraine Chon-Qui (BARTON) 8-6
3. Mollie Polk/Rebecca Weaver (ERSKINE) def. Dana Kelly/Casey Utley (BARTON) 8-0
Records
Erskine 7-9, 7-2
Barton 6-9, 5-3
