Clemson's Josipa Bek and Keri Wong are set to make history. Photo by Rex Brown.

Clemson tandem advances to National Championship match

STANDFORD, CA — The Clemson women’s tennis program has been making history for more than a decade now, and Sunday was no different.

Josipa Bek and Keri Wong, one of the top doubles teams in the country, became just the second group of individuals in any sport at Clemson to advance to a National Championship match in a single-elimination tournament, thanks to a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Southern Cal’s Maria Sanchez and Kaitlyn Christian.

The Tigers will play for the National Championship this afternoon at Stanford’s Taube Tennis Center in Stanford, CA. Only former women’s tennis player Gigi Fernandez in 1983 has played for a national championship. [Read more...]

Clemson's Klara Vyskocilova and the Lady Tigers faced off against Florida during the NCAA Sweet 16. Photo by Rex Brown.

Clemson takes second-ranked Florida to point of elimination

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By Will Vandervort

STANFORD, CA — Even a day after her Clemson Tigers fell to second-ranked Florida in the NCAA’s Round of 16 Friday, Clemson head coach Nancy Harris was still marveling about the way her women’s tennis team played the Gators. [Read more...]

Clemson's Laurianne Henry leaves the Tiger program with great hopes for the future. Photo by Rex Brown.

Senior excited about tennis program’s future

By Will Vandervort

STANFORD, CA — Laurianne Henry is excited to begin her new life as a possible journalist and photographer, but the Anderson, SC native was saddened to know Friday’s loss to Florida in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament meant saying goodbye to her life as a Clemson Tiger.

“It has been an awesome experience,” she said. “I just finished my talk with the team. It is sad to leave everything, and not just the tennis. It’s sad to say goodbye to my teammates, the staff, the school and the whole atmosphere. [Read more...]

Clemson's Masha Belaya fights as the Tigers take on Florida during the NCAA Sweet 16. Photo by Rex Brown.

By Will Vandervort

STANFORD, CA — The only thing that kept Masha Belaya going on Friday during her Sweet 16 match in the NCAA Championships was Florida’s overpowering fan base.

“The crowd was making me mad,” the freshman said. “I didn’t want to give up. It was kind of pushing me forward.” [Read more...]

Clemson's Nelly Ciolkowski helped to move the Tigers into the NCAA Sweet 16. Photo by Rex Brown.

By Will Vandervort

STANFORD, CA — One of the biggest strengths Nelly Ciolkowski brings to the Clemson women’s tennis team is her mental toughness.

No more was that apparent than in the sophomore’s 2-6, 6-3, 6-1 come-from-behind victory over Arkansas’ Kate Lukomskaya at the Arkansas Regional a few weeks back. Her mental edge allowed her to clinch the Tigers’ trip to Stanford, CA and to the Sweet 16. It was Clemson’s fifth straight appearance in the Sweet 16 round. [Read more...]

Clemson's Josipa Bek. Photo by Rex Brown.

Courtesy of Clemsontigers.com

GREENSBORO, NC — Clemson women’s tennis players Josipa Bek and Keri Wong have been named to the 2011 All-ACC Tennis team as announced by the league office on Thursday. The team is decided by a vote of the league’s head coaches. It is the third honor for Bek, and the second straight for Wong.

Bek, in earning her third straight honor, is 30-10 in her junior season and is ranked 10th in the nation by the ITA computer rankings. Bek owns the school record for career three-set wins with 29, and her 92 total career wins rank eighth in school history. Bek owns a 15-9 mark against ranked opponents this season. [Read more...]

Clemson ousted from the ACC Tournament. Photo by Rex Brown.

Courtesy of Clemsontigers.com

DURHAM, NC — The sixth-ranked and third-seeded Miami Hurricanes (19-5) eliminated the sixth-seeded Tigers (19-10) from the 2011 ACC Women’s Tennis Tournament Quarterfinals, 4-1, on Friday. The match was played at Duke’s Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center, as rain forced the teams from the Cary Tennis Complex. [Read more...]

Clemson's Maria Belaya is hitting her stride. Photo by Rex Brown.

Freshman playing her best tennis at right time

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By Will Vandervort

CLEMSON — There comes point where most freshmen athletes hit the wall about two-thirds the way through their first collegiate season. Clemson’s Masha Belaya isn’t your average freshman though.

Unlike most here age, she is excelling as the long tennis season has progressed. So much so in fact, she won her seventh match in a row last Wednesday afternoon over Baylor’s Taylor Ormond in three sets. [Read more...]