ELON, N.C. – The seventh-seeded Towson University women's tennis team fell to No. 2 Elon, 4-0, in the 2017 Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Championship Quarterfinals on Friday afternoon at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center.
 
The Basics
No. 7 Towson (13-11, 3-5 CAA) vs. No. 2 Elon (18-7, 5-1 CAA)
2017 CAA Championship Quarterfinals
Location: Jimmy Powell Tennis Center, Elon, North Carolina
Format: Best of Seven; Doubles count as one point
 
How it Happened (Doubles Play)

• Elon won two of the three doubles matches to secure the match's opening doubles point.
• Despite jumping out to an early 2-1 lead, Lucy Williams and Yevgeniya Shusterman were unable to hang on at No. 2 doubles. The Phoenix duo of Olivia Lucas and Erica Braschi won five straight points for the 6-2 win over the Tigers.
• Towson's lone doubles win came at the top flight as A.J. Gomer and Renate van Oorschodt held on for a 6-4 win over Natalia Janowicz and Maria Paraja to even the doubles action at one apiece.
• Elon's pairing of Suzanne Zenoni and Kirsten Ward secured the doubles win for the Phoenix with a 6-3 win over Barbora Vasilkova and Sophie Lesage.

 
How it Happened (Singles Play)

• Maria Paraja gave Elon its first singles win at the No. 5 flight with a quick 6-2, 6-1 win over Renate van Oorschodt.
• At the fourth singles flight, Barbora Vasilkova looked to make a comeback while down 0-3 in the first set but it wasn't enough as Kirsten Ward held on for a 6-3 win. Ward used a 6-1 win in the second set to give Elon a 3-1 match lead.
• Nicole Shakhnazarova dropped a close top flight decision to Erica Braschi, 7-6, 6-3. Braschi's win at the top flight clinched the match victory for the Phoenix.
• The remaining three singles matches were left unfinished, all in third sets.
• At No. 2 singles, Lucy Williams won the first set 6-2 against Olivia Lucas. Lucas rebounded for a 6-2 win in the second set and was up 6-5 in the third set when the match was ended.
• A.J. Gomer fought back to force a third set against Suzanne Zenoni at No. 3 singles. Zenoni won the first set 6-2 before Gomer used a 6-4 win in the second set to tie up the match. When the match was called, Zenoni was up 5-4 against Gomer in the third set.
• At No. 6 singles, Lucy Gloninger also forced a third set after falling in the first. Her opponent, Alex Koniaev won a tough first set, 7-5, before Gloninger grabbed the second set, 6-4. Koniaev was up 5-4 in the final set when the match was halted.

 
Behind the Scores

• The Tigers' top doubles pairing of A.J. Gomer and Renate van Oorschodt finished their season with a team-best 16-10 overall record, including a 13-8 mark at the No. 1 flight.
• Elon continued to impress on its home courts this season, improving to 14-1 at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center with the win over the Tigers.
• The Phoenix improved to 4-0 all-time against the Tigers. This was the second postseason meeting between the two teams with Elon winning both matches by 4-0 scores (2015, 2017).

 
Elon advances to face No. 6 UNCW tomorrow in the semifinals at 8:30 a.m. at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center. The Seahawks defeated No. 3 College of Charleston, 4-3 in the quarterfinals.


Elon 4, Towson 0

Singles competition
1. Erica Braschi (ELON) def. Nicole Shakhnazarova (TOW) 7-6 (7-5), 6-3
2. Olivia Lucas (ELON) vs. Lucy Williams (TOW) 2-6, 6-2, 6-5, unfinished
3. Suzanne Zenoni (ELON) vs. A.J. Gomer (TOW) 6-2, 4-6, 5-4, unfinished
4. Kirsten Ward (ELON) def. Barbora Vasilkova (TOW) 6-3, 6-1
5. Maria Paraja (ELON) def. Renate van Oorschodt (TOW) 6-2, 6-1
6. Alex Koniaev (ELON) vs. Lucy Gloninger (TOW) 7-5, 4-6, 5-4, unfinished

Doubles competition
1. A.J. Gomer/Renate van Oorschodt (TOW) def. Natalia Janowicz/Maria Paraja (ELON) 6-4
2. Olivia Lucas/Erica Braschi (ELON) def. Lucy Williams/Yevgeniya Shusterman (TOW) 6-2
3. Suzanne Zenoni/Kirsten Ward (ELON) def. Barbora Vasilkova/Sophie Lesage (TOW) 6-3

Match Notes:
Towson 13-11, Elon 18-7
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (5,4,1)