LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- The John Brown University women's tennis team dropped a pair of matches Saturday (Feb. 28) at Burns Park Tennis Center, falling 4-3 to Rust (Miss.) in the morning before being shut out 7-0 by Blue Mountain Christian (Miss.) in the afternoon.
With Rust (2-1) fielding only five available players, the Golden Eagles (1-6) opened with a win by default at the third doubles slot as juniors Annelise Dunn and freshman Madilyn Smith were awarded the flight. Rust claimed the doubles point with wins at the top two flights. Emeline Honfoga and Catherine Kimbiyila Ndeke handled sophomore Arianny Sira and junior Ana Moreno, 6-1, at the top position, before Oudensi Conforte Dohami and Felicity McPhee edged freshmen Kaiya Dobson and Karen Torres, 7-6 (7-5), at the second spot.
JBU picked up another win by default at the sixth singles position as Torres was awarded the point. Rust extended its lead when Dohami defeated Dobson, 6-4, 6-0, at the third flight, then Ndeke outlasted Sira, 6-3, 2-6, 10-5, at the top spot to put the Bearcats ahead 3-1.
Junior Avery Webber pulled the Golden Eagles within one with a 6-0, 6-1 victory at the fifth position. Dunn tied the match at 3-3 with a 6-2, 6-4 win over McPhee at the fourth flight.
The match was decided at the second position, where Honfoga defeated Moreno, 6-4, 6-2, giving Rust the 4-3 victory.
Blue Mountain Christian (3-2) swept all three doubles flights against John Brown (1-7). Lucia Rodriguez Garcia and Lina Cetina opened with a 6-3 win over Dobson and Torres at the second position. Nami Malyaporn and Kiersten Terris secured the doubles point with a 6-3 victory over Smith and Dunn at the third flight, before Camila Mordiz and Eugenia Ramos completed the sweep, 6-2, over Sira and Moreno at the top spot.
The Toppers carried their momentum into singles. Malyaporn defeated Dobson, 6-3, 6-4, at the fourth position, followed by Rodriguez Garcia handling Webber, 6-1, 6-2, at the fifth flight.
Blue Mountain Christian clinched the match at the sixth spot, where Terris edged Smith, 6-1, 7-6 (7-4). Mordiz blanked Sira, 6-2, 6-1, at the top flight, then Cetina defeated Moreno, 6-3, 6-2, at the second position. Ramos completed the sweep with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Dunn at the third spot.
The Golden Eagles return to action on Friday afternoon (March 6) as its Kansas trip begins with a match at Bethany (Kan.) at the Dr. Emory Lindquist Tennis Center. First serve is scheduled for 5 p.m.
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