Nothing peachy for Lions in Georgia

Vanguard University’s tennis season came to an abrupt end Tuesday as

both the men’s and women’s teams lost in the second round of the NAIA

National Championships at the Peachtree City Tennis Center.

The men’s team fell to seventh-ranked Cumberland College (Ky.),

5-4, while the women were shut out by No. 5 Embry-Riddle (Fla.), 5-0.

The Lions’ men fell behind, 2-1, after doubles play, when only

Calle Holmgren and partner Phillip Mardh were able to pick up a win.

Holmgren and Mardh, playing in the No. 2 spot, defeated Kin Khoong

and Alejandro Beiderman, 8-5.

The turning point of the match was when Calle Lumsden and Ivar

Bjorklund lost a hard-fought battle at No. 1 doubles to James Thomas

and Hong Khoong, 9-8 (3). Chris Taylor and Brian Lay lost, 8-0, at

No. 3 doubles.

Lumsden, Holmgren and Mardh got the Lions (16-11) back in the

contest with three straight-set wins in the top-three singles spots,

but the team dropped its matches at No. 5 and 6, to tie the score,

4-4.

The deciding match was between Bjorklund and Beiderman, with

Beiderman coming out on top, 6-4, 6-3 to give Cumberland (21-4) the

win.

It was the eighth national appearance for the Vanguard men, who

finished tied for ninth place.

On the women’s side, Embry-Riddle (17-9) jumped out to a quick 3-0

lead with a sweep in doubles, and then need only two singles matches

to advance to the quarterfinals.

Olga Hlushchanka and Alena Votavova suffered a rare defeat at No.

1 doubles for the Lions (15-13), falling to Sylvia Vojtisek and Liza

Francis, 9-7. Silina Yohner and Sara Bradley lost, 8-3, to Natalia

Kozyura and Angela Melito, and Stephanie Tenlen and Melissa Krohn

were shut out, 8-0.

Only Tenlen and Krohn were able to complete their matches in

singles, as the Eagles got all the points they needed. Tenlen was

defeated by Cristelli, 6-2, 6-0 and Krohn lost to Jessica Anaya, 6-1,

6-0.

It was the third appearance in the NAIA tournament for the

Vanguard women, who finished in a tie for ninth place in the 24-team

bracket.