JMU Advances to Sun Belt Semis with 4-1 Victory over No. 4 South Alabama

Friday, April 25

Rome, Ga.

10 a.m.

James Madison University

South Alabama

JMU Advances to Sun Belt Semis with 4-1 Victory over No. 4 South Alabama

4/25/2025 2:41:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Box Score

ROME, Ga. – Survive and advance is the name of the game at this point of the season, and fifth-seeded James Madison did just that, overcoming deficits and winning key points en route to a 4-1 victory over No. 4 South Alabama on Friday afternoon in the quarterfinal round of the Sun Belt Conference Women's Tennis Championship, hosted at the Rome Tennis Center.

With the win, JMU (10-12) advances to Saturday's semifinals where it faces regular-season champion and top-seeded Old Dominion (17-4), which defeated No. 9 Arkansas State, 4-0, on Friday.

The Dukes won the top two doubles courts and claimed singles victories on courts two, five and six to advance past South Alabama (14-6). JMU was also ahead in the third set on one court and tied at a set apiece on another, while the Jaguars won at court one singles.

JMU improves to 4-1 all-time against South Alabama and completes the season sweep, having also won 4-1 at home back in March.

Earning wins in both doubles and singles were Daria Munteanu and Mia Saveljic, while Hope Moulin registered a singles triumph.

In doubles play, Munteanu and Ines Oliveira downed the Second Team All-SBC doubles team of Delien Kleinhans and Rio Maeda, cruising to a 6-3 victory. After USA took a 6-3 win on court three to even things up, the doubles point would be decided on court two.

On that court, JMU led 5-4, but after a rain delay, South Alabama broke JMU's serve to square the match at 5-5. However, the tandem of Elena Kraleva and Saveljic broke the Jaguar serve right back to lead 6-5. In the ensuing game, with Saveljic serving, the duo clinched the doubles point with a 7-5 win over Chems Doha Zeghlouli and Kenza Elakili.

During the early going of singles, both teams claimed the opening sets on three courts, keeping the match tight. South Alabama tied the match up at 1-1, as Kleinhans controlled the pace for a 6-2, 6-2 victory against Kraleva on court one.

Munteanu gave the lead back to JMU for good, as she battled through a tough first set with Maeda and rolled in the second for a 7-5, 6-2 triumph on court two.

Hope Moulin, playing in her final Sun Belt Championship, took down Lara van der Merwe in straight sets, taking court six by scores of 7-6 (3), 6-2. In the first set breaker, the race to seven was knotted at three before Moulin rattled off four straight points to take the lead. It was her second straight-set win over van der Merwe this season.

The clinching point came on the next court, as Saveljic capped off the day with a close win on court five. Up a set and leading 5-4 in the second, Elakili was serving and battled to deuce point with Saveljic, but a double fault by the South Alabama player gave way for Saveljic to win the bout by a 6-2, 6-4 margin.

Saveljic not only clinched the doubles point and the match in singles, but she also avenged her March 23 loss to Elakili, in which she fell in straight sets (6-2, 6-0).

Elsewhere, JMU stormed back and led on one court while being tied on another.

On court three, Oliveira was down a set and faced match point while down 5-2 to Doha Zeghlouli, but she staved off the point and battled into a tiebreak, in which she won 8-6, to force the third. At the conclusion of the match Oliveira led 2-6, 7-6 (6), 1-0.

Sophie Williams split sets with Jade Marie on court four, battling back to take the second to end in a virtual tie, at 6-7 (1), 6-4.

No. 5 JMU 4, No. 4 South Alabama 1
Doubles Results
Court One: Daria Munteanu/Ines Oliveira (JMU) def. Delien Kleinhans/Rio Maeda (USA), 6-3
Court Two: Elena Kraleva/Mia Saveljic (JMU) def. Chems Doha Zeghlouli/Kenza Elakili (USA), 7-5
Court Three: Manal Ennaciri/Lara van der Merwe (USA) def. Hope Moulin/Sophie Williams (JMU), 6-3

Singles Results
Court One: Delien Kleinhans (USA) def. Elena Kraleva (JMU), 6-2, 6-2
Court Two: Daria Munteanu (JMU) def. Rio Maeda (USA), 7-5, 6-2
Court Three: Ines Oliveira (JMU) vs. Chems Doha Zeghlouli (USA), 2-6, 7-6 (6), 1-0 unfinished
Court Four: Sophie Williams (JMU) vs. Jade Marie (USA), 6-7 (1), 6-4 unfinished
Court Five: Mia Saveljic (JMU) def. Kenza Elakili (USA), 6-2, 6-4
Court Six: Hope Moulin (JMU) def. Lara van der Merwe (USA), 7-6 (3), 6-2

Order of Results: Doubles (1, 3, 2*), Singles (1, 2, 6, 5*)