SILOAM SPRINGS -- The John Brown University women's tennis team won the first three singles matches after sweeping doubles play, ending a three-match losing skid with a 6-1 win over Ozarks (Ark.) on Saturday afternoon (March 30) at the JBU Tennis Courts.
Seniors Lin Xin Tan and Abigail Woodring started off doubles play with a convincing 6-1 win over Annie Nelligan and Ja'Liyah Bradford, moving the top JBU tandem to 8-4 on the season at the one. Seniors Caroline Hillock and Kyla Isaac then swept past Gabriella Davis and Erika Jones to complete the doubles point victory, improving to 7-3 this season. The Golden Eagles (8-5) the completed the doubles sweep after juniors Ellie Swan and Erin Kuykendall finished a 6-3 win at the middle flight.
Tan continued the John Brown success with a quick 6-0, 6-1 win over Jessica Gayle at the top flight, continuing an impressive senior campaign that now features an 11-2 overall mark. Hillock and Kuykendall then pieced together consecutive wins at three and four to quickly clinch the match for the hosts.
Hillock dispatched Bradford, 6-4, 6-0, while Kuykendall used 6-1, 6-2 scores to best Kelsey Smith.
With the score already 4-0 in favor of the Golden Eagles, Ozarks (1-9) avoided its third sweep of the 2023-24 season at the hand of John Brown with a win at the second flight, but Swan moved to 7-2 at the five with a 6-1, 6-0 drubbing of Jones. Issac peaked over .500 at 4-3 at the bottom flight with a 6-4, 6-3 decision over Pope.
After besting the Swedes 4-3 back on March 8 in Salina, Kan., the Golden Eagles will welcome Bethany (Kan.) to Siloam Springs for the regular season home finale on Monday afternoon (April 1) at 1 p.m. JBU will then finish the regular season slate in the greater Kansas City area from April 5-6 in a three-match weekend.
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