Box Score LAFAYETTE, La. – The seventh-seeded ULM tennis team knocked off 10th-seeded Florida Atlantic 4-0 on a windy Thursday morning in the first round of the 2013 Sun Belt Championships at Bourgeois Hall. The win advances the Warhawks (15-3) into the tournament quarterfinals where they will face second-seeded Georgia State on Friday at 10 a.m.
The match lasted less than three hours as ULM quickly won the doubles point for the 16th time in 17 tries this season and cruised to three straight-sets singles victories for its fifth straight win.
Junior Medy Blankvoort and freshman Justyna Krol rolled to an 8-1 decision over FAU's Catalina Ene and Stephanie Cardullo at the No. 2 doubles position. The Warhawks clinched the point minutes later as sophomore Silvia Tumova and freshman Petra Horakova finished off an 8-2 win over Natasha Basma and Natasha Phillips at the No. 1 position.
The Warhawks continued their momentum into singles play as sophomore Sophie Rufyikiri topped FAU's Marlene Ryan, 6-1, 6-3, at the No. 1 position to give the Warhawks a 2-0 lead.
Horakova followed with a brisk 6-2, 6-3 decision over Phillips at the No. 6 singles position to improve her record to 15-3 on the season. Tumova sealed the win with a 6-0, 6-4 triumph over Basma at the No. 3 position.
The Warhawks, who improved to 4-6 all-time in the SBC Championships, are making their third straight appearance in the quarterfinals and fifth trip overall.
The Owls finished their season with a record of 8-10.
ULM 4, Florida Atlantic 0
Singles
1. Sophie Rufyikiri (ULM) def. Ryan, Marlene (FAU), 6-1, 6-3
2. Medy Blankvoort (ULM) vs. Ene, Catalina (FAU), 6-0, 5-3, unfinished
3. Silvia Tumova (ULM) def. Basma, Natasha (FAU), 6-0, 6-4
4. Justyna Krol (ULM) vs. Cardullo, Stephanie (FAU), 4-6, 3-2, unfinished
5. Iris Van Leeuwen (ULM) vs. Tomaszewicz, N. (FAU), 7-5, 1-2, unfinished
6. Petra Horakova (ULM) def. Phillips, Natasha (FAU), 6-2, 6-3
Doubles
1. Petra Horakova/Silvia Tumova (ULM) def. Phillips, Natasha/Basma, Natasha (FAU), 8-2
2. Medy Blankvoort/Justyna Krol (ULM) def. Ene, Catalina/Cardullo, Stephanie (FAU), 8-1
3. Sophie Rufyikiri/Iris Van Leeuwen (ULM) vs. Andrews, Claire-M./Tomaszewicz, N. (FAU), 4-5, unfinished
