by Doug Page
WILSON, N.C. – Junior Daria Avram needed three sets to record a win at the No. 1 position of singles play as the Barton College Bulldogs handed the Limestone College Saints their first Conference Carolinas loss of the season with a 5-4 triumph on Friday at the BC Tennis Complex.
Barton (6-8, 2-1) lead 2-1 following doubles play but saw the Saints rally to win at the No. 5 and No. 6 spots to knot the match 4-4. Limestone (3-6, 3-1) faltered at the top-three singles positions against Barton as the Saints had their two-match win streak snapped.
Avram and teammate Marissa Stevenson recorded an 8-1 victory at the top doubles spot to give Barton a 1-0 lead in the match and would be followed by Vanessa Sanoja and Ada Vargas recording an 8-2 victory to put BC ahead 2-0. Limestone responded as the tandem of Ana Chirila and Jessica Reyes Varela won a close, 8-7 (7-4) decision against Claudia Capellades and Whitney Hamilton to make it 2-1 going to singles competition.
Sanoja upped the BC advantage to 3-1 with her 6-4, 6-3 victory over Camille Haus at the No. 2 position. Stevenson followed by giving Barton a 4-2 edge with her 6-1, 6-0 victory over Felicitas Picinini at the No. 3 spot.
Alison Walsh and Ruby Kubac would be victorious for Limestone in each of their matches as the Saints knotted the score 4-4 with the No. 1 singles match in progress.
With all eyes turned to Avram and Alexandra Dolfi, the pair found their match tied 1-1 heading to a decisive third set. Avram opened the match by handing Dolfi a 6-1 defeat before Dolfi answered back with a 6-4 winner in the second set. Avram controlled the momentum in the third set, recording a 6-2 victory to secure the match for Barton.
The Bulldogs return to action on Saturday morning as Barton hosts Converse College for a league matchup beginning at 9:30 a.m.
