Freshman Mai El Kamash Clinches Win
OXFORD, Miss. – The No. 26 ranked Ole Miss women’s tennis team bounced back from a disappointing loss on Friday to down No. 39 ranked Washington 6-1 here Sunday at the Palmer/Salloum Tennis Center.
With the win, the Rebels improved to 2-3 on the season, while Washington dropped to 6-3. The Rebels took the opening doubles point and then secured singles wins from Erin Stephens, Julia Jones and Mai El Kamash to even the series with the Dawgs 1-1.
The Rebels had been struggling to win the doubles, with all new teams and without the services of Iris Verboven. Coach Beyers elected to change up the teams some on Sunday, and it worked. Vief Vlaar and El Kamash teamed up to post an 8-6 win at No. 3 doubles and then the one constant in doubles, Caroline Rohde-Moe and Marija Milutinovic, ranked No. 39 in the nation, clinched the point 8-5 at No. 1. They are now 5-0 in dual matches, 3-0 at No. 1 doubles.
Each team then won three first sets in singles. In the three matches where Ole Miss won the first sets, they were able to close out in straight sets.
In another switch, Coach Beyers moved Stephens down to No. 4 and Jones to No. 3. Stephens won her first set against UW’s Julija Lukac 6-4 and then dominated the second 6-0 to put the Rebels up 2-0. Jones followed up with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Elianne Douglas-Miron at No. 3 singles to increase it to 3-0.
Washington got on the board, when Natali Coronel finished off Milutinovic 6-4, 6-2 on court five.
With the Dawgs having won the first sets on one and six El Kamash put the matter to rest with her 7-6(2), 6-3 win over Andjela Nemcevic at No. 2 singles to clinch the victory.
Rohde-Moe and Vlaar finished off the match both taking their matches in third set supertiebreakers for the final 6-1 score.
The Rebels return to the courts Saturday, Feb. 23 to host No. 16 Virginia at Noon. Fans will have a chance to win a tennis racket.