CHARLESTON, S.C. - Charleston Southern clinched the 2015 Big South regular season title on Wednesday afternoon as the Buccaneers utilized a complete team effort in topping Coastal Carolina on the road, 6-1.
CSU swept all three doubles matches and won five of the six singles courts on the afternoon to take their second Big South regular season title in back-to-back seasons as the Bucs topped previously undefeated Coastal Carolina at the Coastal Carolina Tennis Complex.
The Bucs improve to 14-2 overall on the season, 8-1 in Big South play and hold the tiebreaker for the top overall seed over the Chanticleers heading into next week's Big South Women's Tennis Championships held at the Asheville Racquet Club in Asheville, N.C., from April 15-18. Coastal Carolina falls to 13-5 overall, 7-1 in Big South play and clinch a share of the regular season crown with a win at Presbyterian on Saturday.
Sophie Cloessner and Valeria Koussenkova both remained undefeated in Big South Conference play on the season with Cloessner improving to 8-0 in conference action, while Koussenkova improved to 5-0 in Big South play with the win.
Senior Marketa Placha suffered her first loss in dual match play of the season on court no. 1, snapping her 13 match winning streak. The reigning Big South Player of the Year falls to 8-1 in conference play on the season.
Seniors Yvonne Hubler and Angelica Sidorenko both posted wins on courts 2 and 3 today, improving their standing to 8-1 overall in conference play in singles action on the year.
The Buccaneers swept all three doubles courts for the fifth straight match dating back to CSU's matchup on March 21st against Liberty with SIdorenko and Mi'Kola Cooper opening play with an 8-6 win on court no. 1 over Sara Bondar and Honami Yazawa. Placha and Cloessner topped Libby Scott and Marie Babayan on court no. 3, 8-5, while Hubler and Nicolin Luecke completed the CSU sweep with an 8-5 win over Romane Delay and Cari Berry on court no. 2.
With CSU leading 1-0 after doubles, Koussenkova added to the Bucs lead with a straight set 6-2, 6-2 win on court no. 6 over Berry. Hubler followed with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Yazawa on court no. 2, while Cooper followed closely behind with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Bondar on court no. 4 to seal the CSU victory.
Cloessner made the Bucs lead 5-0 with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Babayan, before Scott put the Chants on the board with a three-set win on court no. 1, handing Placha her first loss of the season.
Placha took the first set against Scott 6-1, but the CCU junior rallied to take sets two and three by matching 6-2, 6-2 scores for the Chants first point of contest.
Sidorenko closed out the Bucs win with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 win on court no. 3 over Delay.
The Bucs close out the 2015 regular season on the road this weekend, traveling to UNC Wilmington on Saturday afternoon. First serve in doubles play against the Seahawks is set for 1 p.m.
Charleston Southern 6, Coastal Carolina 1
Apr 08, 2015 at Cownay, S.C. (Coastal Carolina Tennis Complex)
Singles competition
1. SCOTT, Libby (COASTALW) def. Marketa Placha (CSU) 1-6, 6-2, 6-2
2. Yvonne Hubler (CSU) def. YAZAWA, Honami (COASTALW) 6-2, 6-5
3. Angelica Sidorenko (CSU) def. DELAY, Romane (COASTALW) 7-5, 3-6, 6-2
4. Mi'Kola Cooper (CSU) def. BONDAR, Sara (COASTALW) 6-4, 6-2
5. Sophie Cloessner (CSU) def. BABAYAN, Marie (COASTALW) 6-3, 6-2
6. Valeria Koussenkova (CSU) def. BERRY, Cari (COASTALW) 6-2, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. Angelica Sidorenko/Mi'Kola Cooper (CSU) def. YAZAWA, Honami/BONDAR, Sara (COASTALW) 8-6
2. Yvonne Hubler/Nicolin Luecke (CSU) def. DELAY, Romane/BERRY, Cari (COASTALW) 8-5
3. Marketa Placha/Sophie Cloessner (CSU) def. BABAYAN, Marie/SCOTT, Libby (COASTALW) 8-5
Match Notes
Charleston Southern 14-2, 8-1
Coastal Carolina 13-5, 7-1
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (6,2,4,5,1,3)
