Cajuns Sweep Season-Opening Doubleheader

LAFAYETTE, La. – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns women's tennis team kicked off its 2015 season on a good note with a pair of convincing wins over Southern and Xavier (La.) on Wednesday afternoon at Cajun Courts.

The Cajuns took the doubles point in the opening match against the Jaguars, stealing points at both the Nos. 1 and 3 spots in the lineup. Nelo Phiri and Elena Sava teamed up in the top spot to go past the Southern pair of Damesha and Gabrielle Moore (6-3), while Alexandra Way and Abby Johnson opened the year with a (6-2) win over Nicki Neal and Laura Syori.

Kelly Drew scored the Cajuns second point of the match by rolling past Morgan Taylor (6-0, 6-1) in her UL debut at No. 4 singles. Phiri then used straight sets to overtake Laura Syroi (6-2, 6-3) on the feature court to put UL a point from victory.

Alexandra Way then closed things out on Court 3, rallying to take the final two games against

In the second match of the day the Cajuns roared by Xavier by a 4-0 margin, taking the doubles point and then claiming three singles points. Drew and Melissa Burckhartt rolled by Caroline Vernet and Brion Flowers (6-2) at No. 2 doubles before Abby Johnson and Way picked up a (6-3) win over Brandi Nelson and Sha'Nel Bruins at the No. 3 spot to secure the doubles point.

On the singles side, Drew reached the finish line first for the second time on the day when she scored the second Cajun point with a (6-3, 6-1) win over Carmen Nelson at the No. 3 spot.

Elena Sava then rebounded from a defeat earlier in the day to even her singles record at the No. 2 spot in the lineup when she defeated Vernet (6-2, 6-2). Way then once again provided the clinching point, picking off Flowers (6-1, 6-3) in straight sets at No. 4 singles.

The Cajuns now head to Texas for a pair of weekend matches, starting Saturday at Stephen F. Austin and concluding with a Sunday matinee at Rice.

#GeauxCajuns
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Louisiana 4, Southern 1
Singles competition
1. Phiri, Nelo (UL) def. Syori, Laura (SUBR) 6-2, 6-3
2. Moore, Darnesha (SUBR) def. Sava, Elena (UL) 6-3, 6-3
3. Way, Alexandra (UL) def. Moore, Gabrielle (SUBR) 6-4, 7-6
4. Drew, Kelly (UL) def. Taylor, Morgan (SUBR) 6-0, 6-1
5. Johnson, Abby (UL) vs. Davis, Camara (SUBR) 6-1, 3-6, 3-0, unfinished
6. Burckhartt, Melissa (UL) vs. Bunch, Kendall (SUBR) 7-5, 5-6, unfinished

Doubles competition
1. Phiri, Nelo/Sava, Elena (UL) def. Moore, Darnesha/Moore, Gabrielle (SUBR) 6-3
2. Drew, Kelly/Burckhartt, Melissa (UL) def. Taylor, Morgan/Bunch, Kendall (SUBR) 5-4
3. Way, Alexandra/Johnson, Abby (UL) def. Neal, Nicki/Syori, Laura (SUBR) 6-2

Match Notes:
Southern 1-2
Louisiana 1-0
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (4,2,1,3)
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Louisiana 4, Xavier (La.) 0

Singles competition

1. Nour Abbes (XULA) vs. Phiri, Nelo (UL) 6-3, 3-0

2. Sava, Elena (UL) def. Caroline Vernet (XULA) 6-2, 6-2

3. Drew, Kelly (UL) def. Carmen Nelson (XULA) 6-3, 6-1

4. Way, Alexandra (UL) def. Brion Flowers (XULA) 6-1, 6-3

5. Johnson, Abby (UL) def. Jana van der Walt (XULA) 6-2, 2-1

6. Burckhartt, Melissa (UL) vs. Brandi Nelson (XULA) 6-3, 3-0

Doubles competition

1. Phiri, Nelo/Sava, Elena (UL) vs. Nour Abbes/Carmen Nelson (XULA) 5-2

2. Burckhartt, Melissa/Drew, Kelly (UL) def. Caroline Vernet/Brion Flowers (XULA) 6-2

3. Johnson, Abby/Way, Alexandra (UL) def. Brandi Nelson/Sha'Neil Bruins (XULA) 6-3

Match Notes:

Xavier (La.) 3-3

Louisiana 2-0

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

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Players Mentioned

Melissa Burckhartt

Kelly Drew

Abby Johnson

Nelo Phiri

Elena Sava

Alexandra Way