Las Vegas, Nev. - The Long Island University women's tennis team kicked off a three-game spring break visit to Las Vegas with a convincing 6-1 win over Southern Utah. The Blackbirds swept the doubles point and took five out of six singles matches.

 

The duo of senior Selma Babic and freshman Aleksandra Pavlovic downed the Thunderbirds' pair of Ksusha Nazarova and Olga Tatarchenko at No. 1 doubles, 8-2. At the second spot, freshmen Taysha Blessington and Linn Sjogren defeated Kirrily Burden and Carmen Blanco, 8-4. At No. 3 seniors Dara Lahens and Stephanie Elie dealt Kristy Latteier and Mandie Divino an 8-4 defeat.

 

In singles action, Babic handed Nazarova a 6-3; 6-2 loss at No. 1 and Sjogren downed Tatarchenko by the same margin at the second spot. Pavlovic and Blessington defeated Burden and Blanco at No. 3 and 4, respectively, both by 6-4; 6-2 margins. At No. 6, senior H'Ann Johnson was victorious over Divino, 6-1; 6-1.

 

The win improved Long Island to 3-1 while Southern Utah fell to 3-3. The Blackbirds will return to the court on Tuesday, March 16, taking on Cal State-Baskersfield at noon.

 

Singles
1. Selma Babic def. Ksusha Nazarova, 6-3; 6-2
2. Linn Sjogren def. Olga Tatarchenko, 6-3; 6-2
3. #Aleksandra Pavlovic3 def. Kirrily Burden, 6-4; 6-2

4. Taysha Blessington def. Carmen Blanco, 6-4; 6-2
5. #Kristy Latteier def.Dara Lahens, 2-6; 4-6
6. H'Ann Johnson def.Mandie Divino, 6-1; 6-1

Doubles
1. Babic/Pavlovic def. Nazarova/Tatarchenko, 8-2
2. Blessington/Sjogren def. Burden/Blanco, 8-4
3. Lahens/Stephanie Elie def. Latteier/Divino, 8-4