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FARMVILLE, Va. – Following a doubles-point sweep and five straight singles wins to close out the match, Big South frontrunner Liberty defeated Longwood, 6-1, Tuesday afternoon on Senior Day at Lancer Courts.
 
The Flames (13-9, 8-1), who entered the match a half-game back of the top spot in the conference standings, reeled off wins in the final five single bouts of the day for the victory to move into a two-way tie with Winthrop for first place. Liberty overcame a loss in the first singles match to pick up its second straight wins while ending the Lancers' (9-11, 2-6 BSC) own two-match consecutive win streak.
 
"Liberty is a great team," said Longwood interim coach Rich Stoneman. "They managed to outscore us consistently. We had no fight when things didn't go our way today. That's not who we are or what we're about. As a coach, I take responsibility for that."

The win clinched at least a share of the Big South regular season title for the Flames, who have won eight of their past nine matches with a pair of Big South sweeps during that span. Liberty could not complete a shutout against the Lancers, however, as Longwood's lone senior Maria Coronel broke up the bid with a win at No. 6 in the first singles finish. Coronel was leading 4-2 in the first set against junior Mariely Hassey before Hassey retired, giving Longwood's lone senior her team-leading ninth win of the year. It was Coronel's third consecutive win and her fourth in the past five matches.
 
However, Liberty responded with victories at the Nos. 1-5 slots to close out the match, led by a win by the Big South's second-ranked No. 4 singles player in Belen Rivera, who picked up her eight straight victory. Rivera earned a 6-1, 6-1 straight sets victory over Longwood junior Paloma Alatorre to secure the match for the Flames.
 
Freshman standout Isis Gill-Reid, who entered the afternoon on a two-match win streak, nearly picked up a second win for the Lancers in the final match of the day at the No. 3 singles flight. In her match vs. Liberty's Anna Dollar, Gill-Reid took the first set before Dollar fought back for a three-set victory 4-6, 6-4, 10-6.
 
Longwood will now have three days to prepare for its final match in Big South play when it hosts Coastal Carolina Friday, April 8. First serve is set for 10:30 a.m. at Lancer Courts.

Liberty 6, Longwood 1

Singles
1. KHVAL, Maria (LU) def. BURGER, Fallon (LWU) 6-2, 6-1
2. CRIST, Evangeline (LU) def. PELAK, Anna (LWU) 6-1, 6-1
3. DOLLAR, Anna (LU) def. GILL-REID, Isis (LWU) 4-6, 6-4, 10-6
4. RIVERA, Belen (LU) def. ALATORRE, Paloma (LWU) 6-1, 6-1
5. THONG, Valerie (LU) def. THOMAS, Mason (LWU) 6-0, 6-1
6. CORONEL, Maria (LWU) def. HASSEY, Mariely (LU) 4-2, retired
 
Doubles
1. CRIST/THONG (LU) def. BURGER/GILL-REID (LWU) 6-1
2. KHVAL/DOLLAR (LU) def. PELAK/THOMAS (LWU) 6-2
3. ANDERSON/PANCHENKO (LU) def. CORONEL/ALATORRE (LWU) 6-3
 
Match Notes:
Liberty 13-9, 8-1 BSC
Longwood 9-11, 2-6 BSC

Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (6,1,2,4,5,3)
 
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