Liberty Advances to Quarterfinals of ASUN Championships With 4-0 Win Over Bellarmine

No. 5 seed Liberty advanced in the ASUN Championship following a 4-0 opening-round win over No. 12 seed Bellarmine, Saturday, at Austin Peay's Governors Tennis Courts.

Bellarmine came into the match with a depleted roster and was forced to forfeit both a singles and doubles match.

With the win, Liberty advances to the quarterfinals where they will face No. 4 seed Austin Peay on Sunday. That matchup is scheduled for 2 p.m. Eastern from the Governors Tennis Courts.

Liberty (16-8) needed just one doubles win after a Bellarmine (4-21) default and they got that win on court two, 6-1. The Knights also defaulted a singles point in the No. 6 singles matchup, meaning Liberty needed just two singles wins to secure the victory.

The Lady Flames got those wins from the No. 3 and 2 singles matchups with scores of 6-1, 6-0 and 6-1, 6-2.

Liberty will now face Austin Peay (16-6) in the quarterfinals in what will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

The Lady Flames are seeking their first ever ASUN Championship title. Liberty fell in the ASUN Championship final to Stetson by a 4-2 score, last spring.

Liberty 4, Bellarmine 0

Singles Competition

1. M. Juliana P. Romero (LIBERTYW) vs. Ekaterina Tikhonko (BELL) 6-6, unfinished
2. Marina Davtyan (LIBERTYW) def. Vendula Kryslova (BELL) 6-1, 6-2
3. Esther Lovato (LIBERTYW) def. Hanley Riner (BELL) 6-1, 6-0
4. Tiffany Nguyen (LIBERTYW) vs. Shu Grosso (BELL) 6-1, 4-2, unfinished
5. Elsa Kirch (LIBERTYW) vs. Channing Varnum (BELL) 6-4, 1-1, unfinished
6. Maretha Burger (LIBERTYW) def. No player (BELL), by walkover

Doubles Competition

1. M. Juliana P. Romero/Tiffany Nguyen (LIBERTYW) vs. Ekaterina Tikhonko/Vendula Kryslova (BELL) 3-4, unfinished
2. Maretha Burger/Bruna Sampaio (LIBERTYW) def. Hanley Riner/Channing Varnum (BELL) 6-1
3. Marina Davtyan/Esther Lovato (LIBERTYW) def. No player/No player (BELL), by walkover

Liberty 16-8

Bellarmine 4-21

Order of Finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (6,3,2)

2023 ASUN Women's Tennis Championship First Round

How It Happened

• Needing just one doubles point after a Bellarmine default, Liberty's No. 2 pair of Maretha Burger and Bruna Sampaio came through with a 6-1 victory over Hanley Riner and Channing Varnum.

• Liberty started the singles round with a 2-0 lead after an additional Bellarmine default.

• Esther Lovato grabbed her 17^th win (17-4) of the spring by taking down Riner 6-1, 6-0 on court three to give Liberty the 3-0 advantage in the match.

• Marina Davtyan (13-6) secured the match-winning fourth point in the No. 2 singles match after toppling Vendula Kryslova 6-1, 6-2.

• At the point Liberty clinched the win and all other courts halted play, Liberty was leading or tied on all three courts.

Next Up

• Liberty faces Austin Peay in the quarterfinal round of the ASUN Championship. First serve is set for 2 p.m. from the Governors Tennis Courts on Sunday.

• The Lady Flames and Governors will be meeting for the first time.

Main Photo at Top of Story: Bruna Sampaio