FT. WAYNE, Ind. -
Oral Roberts University's winning streak reached three on Friday
afternoon with a 4-2 victory over the University of South Dakota at
the Pine Ridge Racquet and Fitness Club.
The Golden Eagles are now 3-0 in Summit League play and are over
.500 for the first time in two months with a 6-5 overall
record.
ORU set the tone with three punishing doubles victories, all by 8-2
counts. Haley Martin and Lina Semenova downed USD's Alena Sergeychik and Shadi
Soleymani, Iryna Khatsko and Kristin Gray defeated Michelle Elkin and Nina
Barudzic, and Marizanne Bouwer teamed with Tori Dollar to send Veronika Makashov and Yamini
Reddy packing.
Singles was a far closer affair, with several matches going down to
the wire. Khatsko drilled Elkin at the top flight, 6-0, 6-1, but
Soleymani countered with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 win over Gray on the third
court.
But Bouwer and Dollar saved the day for ORU. Bouwer topped Batudzic
in the fourth flight, 6-0, 6-1, and Dollar cashed in Makashov, 6-1,
6-2, in the sixth. The victories clinched the overall win for
ORU.
Those results were important ones for the Golden Eagles. Reddy
knocked off Ekaterina Kondrashova in the sixth flight, 6-1, 6-4,
and Sergeychik was moments away from a second-court victory over
Martin when their match was halted in progress.
ORU will finish play at the Summit League cluster on Saturday
morning when they face South Dakota State. First serve is booked
for 9 am CT.