CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The No. 15 Queens University of Charlotte women's tennis team remained unbeaten in South Atlantic Conference play with a 6-1 win over Lenoir-Rhyne University on Wednesday afternoon at the Howard Levine Tennis Center.
 
"Overall I was pleased with our effort," said Head Tennis Coach Billy Boykin. "We were missing a starter today, but our girls stepped up and produced against a quality Lenoir-Rhyne team. This win will give us confidence."
 
Queens won two of the three doubles matches to pick up its first point of the match. The duo of sophomores Sasha Davidzenka and Yana Fleyer won 6-4 at No. 1, followed by a 6-3 win at No. 3 from the tandem of Kate Halickman and Hannah Lehfeldt.
 
"We had to scrap to win the doubles point today," said Boykin. "Yana and Sasha had to come from behind to win at one doubles and Hannah and Kate played some gutsy tennis to secure the point, which was big for our team."
 
Singles play opened with a Lenoir-Rhyne win, but the Royals responded with five straight singles victories to clinch the match decision beginning with a 6-1, 6-3 win at No. 4 by freshman Caity Klaassen.
 
Davidzenka was a 6-3, 6-2 winner at No. 2 and Fleyer won 6-2, 7-6 at No. 1 to earn the deciding fourth point for Queens. A 6-0, 1-6, 6-2 win at No. 6 by Lehfeldt and a 4-6, 6-0, 6-1 victory at No. 3 from Fornies helped Queens to a five-point margin of victory.
 
"We weren't perfect in singles play, but I thought we played the critical points well today," Boykin continued. "Caity played bery solid today and Yan made magnificent shots to win the second set tie-breaker and clinch the match."
 
The Royals hit the road for their next match, a league contest with Carson-Newman University on Saturday, March 16 in Jefferson City, Tennessee.
 
#15 Queens University of Charlotte 6, Lenoir-Rhyne University 1
 
Singles competition
1. #43 Yana Fleyer (QUEENSW) def. Emma Southwick (LRW) 6-2, 7-6
2. Sasha Davidzenka (QUEENSW) def. Iulia Ponomareva (LRW) 6-3, 6-2
3. Isabel Fornies (QUEENSW) def. Marta Escanero (LRW) 4-6, 6-0, 6-1
4. Caity Klaassen (QUEENSW) def. Diana Babinets (LRW) 6-1, 6-3
5. Ally Garofoli (LRW) def. Katya Khramstova (QUEENSW) 6-0, 6-0
6. Hannah Lehfeldt (QUEENSW) def. Emily Murchland (LRW) 6-0, 1-6, 6-2
 
Doubles competition
1. Sasha Davidzenka/Yana Fleyer (QUEENSW) def. Marta Escanero /Lucy Whelan (LRW) 6-4
2. Diana Babinets / Emma Southwick (LRW) def. Isabel Fornies/Caity Klaassen (QUEENSW) 6-3
3. Kate Halickman/Hannah Lehfeldt (QUEENSW) def. Emily Murchland / Iulia Ponomareva (LRW) 6-3
 
Match Notes:
Lenoir-Rhyne University 10-2, 1-1 SAC
Queens University of Charlotte 6-1, 2-0 SAC; National ranking #15; Regional ranking #6
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (5,4,2,1,6,3)