Longwood University Athletics

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – UNC Asheville showcased the best home-court advantage in the Big South once again, taking down Longwood 7-0 in a conference showdown Friday afternoon at Asheville Racquet Club.
 
The win was the Bulldogs' fifth straight on their home court and improved their home record to 9-1 on the year. Four of those nine home wins have come by 7-0 shutout, while eight – including both Big South wins over Longwood and Gardner-Webb – saw UNC Asheville (9-5, 2-1 Big South) hold their opponent to one win or fewer.
 
Key to UNC Asheville's win over Longwood (5-6, 0-5 Big South) Friday were a pair of early straight-sets singles wins in the middle of the lineup, followed by back-to-back three-set singles wins in the top two slots. Asheville junior Christian Louw became one of the few players to take down Longwood freshman standout Tanja Skalda this spring, handing Longwood's No. 4 a 6-2, 7-6 defeat that was only her third loss of the regular season and her first since being moved up to the No. 4 slot last week.
 
Lauren Watson-Steele followed Louw's win with a 7-6, 6-4 win over Longwood sophomore Jamie Breunig, setting the stage for the Bulldogs' 1-2 combo of Kylee Shipley and Emily Sidor to put the match away with a pair of hard-fought, three-set wins at the top of the lineup.
 
Shipley and Sidor entered the matchup with a combined 14-5 record as the Bulldogs' Nos. 1 and 2 singles players, but Longwood sophomore No. 1 Marija Venta and freshman No. 2 Yulia Almiron shocked those two when they each won their first sets. However, Shipley righted the ship in the next set, sweeping Venta 6-0 before rallying to take the deciding third set 6-3. Sidor took a cue from Shipley, evening the score against Almiron with a 6-3 win in set two followed by a match-clinching 6-4 win in the third set.
 
From there, Asheville No. 5 Hannah Francisco grinded out a 6-7, 6-3, 10-5 win over Longwood freshman Kaori Terunuma at No. 5, and Taylor Love upended Longwood freshman Julia Candiotto 6-2, 6-4 to complete the singles sweep.
 
The loss comes at the start of a four-game road swing for the Lancers, who continue a weekend trip south when they head to Big South foe Presbyterian for a 10 a.m. first serve Saturday. The Lancers then return home for nearly a full week of practice before hitting the road once again for a Friday, March 30, showdown at future Big South member Hampton.
 
UNC Asheville 7, Longwood 0
Mar 23, 2018 at Asheville, NC (Asheville Racquet Club)
 
Singles competition
1. SHIPLEY, Kylee (AVLW) def. VENTA, Marija (LWUW) 4-6, 6-0, 6-3
2. SIDOR, Emily (AVLW) def. ALMIRON, Yulia (LWUW) 2-6, 6-3, 6-4
3. WATSON-STEELE, L. (AVLW) def. BREUNIG, Jamie (LWUW) 7-6, 6-4
4. LOUW, Christin (AVLW) def. SKALDA, Tanja (LWUW) 6-2, 7-6
5. FRANCISCO, Hannah (AVLW) def. TERUNUMA, Kaori (LWUW) 6-7, 6-3, 10-5
6. LOVE, Taylor (AVLW) def. CANDIOTTO, Julia (LWUW) 6-2, 6-4
 
Doubles competition
1. FRANCISCO, Hannah/SHIPLEY, Kylee (AVLW) def. VENTA, Marija/CANDIOTTO, Julia (LWUW) 6-3
2. LOUW, Christin/WATSON-STEELE, L. (AVLW) def. BREUNIG, Jamie/TERUNUMA, Kaori (LWUW) 6-0
3. ALMIRON, Yulia/SKALDA, Tanja (LWUW) def. SIDOR, Emily/LOVE, Taylor (AVLW) 4-3, retired
 
Match Notes
Longwood 5-6, 0-5 BSC
UNC Asheville 9-5, 2-1 BSC
 
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