FLORENCE, Ala. (March 28, 2025) – The University of North Alabama women's tennis team fought back for a 4-3 home win Friday afternoon against the visiting Stetson Hatters in Florence.

North Alabama battled back for the big win against Stetson, with UNA and the Hatters facing off in a battle of top teams in the Atlantic Sun Conference. Both teams carried sizable winning streaks into the dual, but the Lions would leave victorious in the competitive bout to extend their already-program record winning streak to 11.

UNA rallied from two-points down, securing three-set wins from sophomores Emma Ansorge and Ada Karabacak in the final two matches.

North Alabama's win halted Stetson's seven-dual win streak this season, also ending a run of 17 duals in which the Hatters were victorious over conference opponents. The last time the Hatters lost to an ASUN opponent came on April 22, 2023, when Stetson was defeated by North Florida, 4-2, in the ASUN Tournament Final.

Five Lions won on the day, led by two from Karabacak in singles and doubles play. The Istanbul, Turkey native secured her second season win in doubles with senior Anoek Pruijmboom, also earning her ninth overall. The sophomore also continues to shine in singles, securing her team-leading 13th win.

Ansorge won her second-straight singles match and sixth this season, while junior Eeva Ristola picked up her eighth singles win. Sophomore Mathilde Delaney rounded out the UNA wins with her ninth singles victory.

Stetson secured the opening doubles point, taking courts one and two to secure the early advantage. Karabacak and Pruijmboom won their opening doubles match, 6-3, against Clelia Lombardi and Audelie Lesauvage, but the deciding point came from a 7-6 victory from Stetson's Cheri Darley and Alanna Di Francesco over UNA's Stanislava Bobrovnikova and Ristola.

The Hatters took a 2-0 lead in singles play after Anastasija Adeikyte defeated the Lions' Senem Ocal from court six, 6-1, 6-1. Delaney struck back for North Alabama with a fifth-flight victory over Lombardi, 6-0, 6-2. Stetson earned a third point from the top flight, taking a 3-1 team lead with Darley beating Bobrovnikova, 6-4, 6-4.

Needing a response, Ristola defeated Lesauvage from court four with a 6-2, 7-6 triumph to cut the Hatters' lead to 3-2. The remaining two matches would be battles in three sets, but the Lions' Ansorge secured the tying team point with a court-two victory over Stetson's Katsiaryna Tuliakova, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6.

The final match saw UNA's Karabacak facing the Hatter's Di Francesco from court three, but in a nail-biting contest, Karabacak would prevail over her opponent with a 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 triumph.


North Alabama 4, Stetson 3

Doubles

1. Cheri Darley/Alanna Di Francesco (SU) def. Stanislava Bobrovnikova/Eeva Ristola (UNA), 7-6
2. Anastasija Adeikyte/Katsiaryna Tuliakova (SU) def. Emma Ansorge/Mathilde Delaney (UNA), 7-5
3. Ada Karabacak/Anoek Pruijmboom (UNA) def. Clelia Lombardi/Audelie Lesauvage (SU), 6-3

Order of Finish: (3,2,1)


Singles

1. Cheri Darley (SU) def. Stanislava Bobrovnikova (UNA), 6-4, 6-4
2. Emma Ansorge (UNA) def. Katsiaryna Tuliakova (SU), 6-4, 5-7, 7-6
3. Ada Karabacak (UNA) def. Alanna Di Francesco (SU), 6-3, 3-6, 7-6
4. Eeva Ristola (UNA) def. Audelie Lesauvage (SU), 6-2, 7-6
5. Mathilde Delaney (UNA) def. Clelia Lombardi (SU), 6-0, 6-2
6. Anastasija Adeikyte (SU) def. Senem Ocal (UNA), 6-1, 6-1

Order of Finish: (6,5,1,4,2,3)


Match Notes

North Alabama: 13-2
Stetson: 13-4

COMING UP NEXT

North Alabama's next outing comes against the FGCU Eagles, continuing conference play on Sunday, March 30, at 11 a.m.

For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.