Box Score DENTON, Texas - A key rally by the team of
Sophie Rufyikiri and Silvia Tumova earned the doubles point for the ULM tennis
team, sparking the No. 5 Warhawks to a 4-0 sweep of No. 12 Western Kentucky Thursday
in the first round of the Sun Belt Conference Championships at the Waranch
Tennis Complex.
After both teams split the opening doubles
matches, Western Kentucky's (10-6-1) Monta Reinfelde and Madeline Phillips took
a commanding 4-0 lead in the third and deciding contest. Rufyikiri and Tumova battled back to win eight
of the next nine points, taking the match 8-5 and securing the crucial doubles
point for ULM (15-3).
Tumova carried the steady play into singles,
downing Carolina Barboza 6-0, 6-2 to extend the overall Warhawk lead to 2-0. Medy Blankvoort claimed the second straight
set singles win for ULM with a 6-0, 6-2 triumph over Lady Topper Alex
Crofford. Ema Turudija clinched the
fourth and deciding match point with a 6-0, 6-1 decision over Western Kentucky's
Katrina Vucina.
The Warhawks face No. 4 Denver (11-10) in the
second round of the SBC Championships Friday at 11:30 a.m. at the Waranch
Tennis Complex.
No. 5 ULM 4, No. 12
Western Kentucky 0
Singles:
1. Sophie Rufyikiri (ULM) vs. Monta Reinfelde (WKU) 6-3, 5-1, unfinished
2. Silvia Tumova (ULM) def. Carolina Barboza (WKU) 6-0, 6-2
3. Medy Blankvoort (ULM) def. Alex Crofford (WKU) 6-0, 6-2
4. Ema Turudija (ULM) def. Katrina Vucina (WKU) 6-0, 6-1
5. Monica Winkel (ULM) vs. Madeline Phillips (WKU) 6-3, 3-1, unfinished
6. Vivian Polak (ULM) vs. Morgan Freeman (WKU) 6-2, 4-3, unfinished
Doubles:
1. Rufyikiri/Tumova (ULM) def. Reinfelde/Phillips (WKU) 8-5
2. Barboza/Crofford (WKU) def. Winkel/Blankvoort (ULM) 8-2
3. Polak/Turudija (ULM) def. Vucina/Freeman (WKU) 8-2
