The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
Denver - NCAA First Round
Rebels Defeat Denver, 4-1
5/8/2015 | Women's Tennis
CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- The Ole Miss women's tennis team moved into the second round of the NCAA Championship with a 4-1 win over Denver in first round action at the Neill Schiff Tennis Center on the campus of the University of Miami, Friday.
Tenth-ranked Julia Jones clinched the match at No. 1 singles with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Maureen Slattery. The win is Jones' 29th of the season and moves the Florida native to 7-3 in her last 10 matches.
"We're excited to be advancing in the NCAA tournament," said head coach Mark Beyers. "Denver was a very scrappy team and early on we showed some nerves, which is normal after such a long layoff."
 The Rebels opened play by taking the doubles point against the Pioneers. Marija Milutinovic and Iris Verboven picked up an 8-2 win over Michelle Garpenlov and Charlotte Derbyshire at No. 3 doubles. Mai El Kamash and Erin Stephens, ranked No. 70, then defeated Sonja Radosevic and Morgan Barnhill, 8-4 to clinch the opening point.
"Getting the doubles point was big for us, and then winning four first sets in singles made sure we kept the momentum. We're looking forward to getting to play another match tomorrow, and having a chance to advance to the Sweet 16."
The Rebels jumped out to an early lead in singles play with a 6-0, 6-0 win from Stephens over Denver's Evy Van Genechten at No. 5. The Pioneers earned their only point of the match as Julia O'Louglin knocked off El Kamash 6-3, 6-1 at No. 3 singles.Â
From that point the Rebels quickly pushed their lead back to two with a 6-2, 6-2 straight set win from Natalie Suk over Charlotte Derbyshire on court No. 4 en route to their second consecutive NCAA opening round victory and 21st win in NCAA Championship action.
Ole Miss will face either No. 15 seed Miami or North Florida Saturday at 1:00 p.m. CT in the second round.Â
For more information on Ole Miss Women's Tennis, follow the Rebels on Twitter, @OleMissWTennis, on Facebook at OleMissWTennis and on Instagram at OleMissWTennis.
#25 Ole Miss 4, Denver 1
Doubles
- No. 65 Julia Jones/Natalie Suk (OM) vs. Maureen Slattery/Julia O'Loughlin (DEN), 7-4, unfinished
- No. 70 Mai El Kamash/Erin Stephens (OM) def. Sonja Radosevic/Morgan Barnhill (DEN), 8-4
- Marija Milutinovic/Iris Verboven (OM) def. Michelle Garpenlov/Charlotte Derbyshire (DEN), 8-2
Singles
- No. 10 Julia Jones (OM) def. Maureen Slattery (DEN), 6-4, 6-2
- No. 82 Arianne Hartono (OM) vs. Sonja Radosevic (DEN), 6-2, 3-5, unfinished
- Julia O'Loughlin (DEN) def. Mai El Kamash (OM), 6-3, 6-1
- Natalie Suk (OM) def. Charlotte Derbyshire (DEN), 6-2, 6-2
- Erin Stephens (OM) def. Evy Van Genechten (DEN), 6-0, 6-0
- Morgan Barnhill (DEN) vs. Iris Verboven (OM), 6-4, 3-3, unfinishedÂ
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Players Mentioned
