Feb. 27, 2010
RICHMOND, Va. - Freshmen Petra Januskova (Ottawa, Canada) and Amy Simidian (Carlstadt, N.J.) won singles matches in straight sets today as the Penn State women's tennis team fell to No. 29 VCU, 5-2. The Rams are the third consecutive nationally ranked team the Nittany Lions have faced.
VCU jumped ahead to a 1-0 advantage after sweeping the doubles competition. The Rams extended their lead to 2-0 with a singles win, but Januskova brought Penn State within one with her victory on the No. 1 court. After two straight singles win, the Rams secured the match victory. Simidian scored a second point for the Nittany Lions with her win on the No. 4 court. VCU followed with another victory in the final match of the day to put the final score at 5-2.
Opening the match in doubles, senior Sarah Lotto (Toronto, Ontario) and Januskova dropped an 8-2 decision to Josefin Hjertquist and Ana Bara, 8-2. Following on the No. 2 court, Simidian and sophomore partner Maria Prishlyak (Kiev, Ukraine) were topped by Kateryna Yergina and Laura Burns, 8-2, securing the doubles point for the Rams. Alex Bara and Olena Leonchuk completed the doubles sweep for the Rams with an 8-2 win over senior Lauren McCarthy (Danbury, Conn.) and sophomore Michaela Stracar (Jericho, N.Y.) in third doubles.
With VCU leading 1-0, the match moved into singles. Hjertquist extended VCU's lead with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Lotto in second singles. Januskova continued her impressive spring singles run with a straight-set victory over Ana Bara on the No. 1 court, 6-1, 6-0. Following in fifth singles, Burns put the Rams up 3-1 with a 6-0, 6-3 victory over McCarthy.
Yergina clinched the match victory for VCU as she defeated Prishlyak in third singles, 6-2, 6-2, to put the match score at 4-1. Simidian fell behind Alex Bara early in fourth singles as she dropped the first set, 6-3, but bounced back with a 6-3 win in the second set. In the third set tiebreaker, Simidian nabbed another Nittany Lion point with a 10-7 victory.
Leonchuk closed out the day with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Stracar on the No. 6 court, putting the final match score at 5-2.
Penn State returns home the next weekend to resume Big Ten play against Ohio State on Friday, March 5 at 3 p.m. The Lions are home again the following day to take on the Temple Owls at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 6. Live statistics will now be available for all Penn State home matches on the women's tennis page at www.GoPSUSports.com
No. 29 VCU 5, Penn State 2
Doubles
Josefin Hjertquist/Ana Bara (VCU) def. Sarah Lotto/Petra Januskova (PSU), 8-2
Kateryna Yergina/Laura Burns (VCU def. Amy Simidian/Maria Prishlyak (PSU), 8-2
Alex Bara/Olena Leonchuk (VCU) def. Lauren McCarthy/Michaela Stracar (PSU), 8-2
Order of Finish: 1, 2, 3
Singles
1. Petra Januskova (PSU) def. Ana Bara (VCU), 6-1, 6-0
2. Josefin Hjertquist (VCU) def. Sarah Lotto (PSU), 6-1, 6-2
3. Kateryna Yergina (VCU) def. Maria Prishlyak (PSU), 6-2, 6-2
4. Amy Simidian (PSU) def. Alex Bara (VCU), 3-6, 6-3, 10-7
5. Laura Burns (VCU) def. Lauren McCarthy (PSU), 6-0, 6-3
6. Olena Leonchuk (VCU) def. Michaela Stracar (PSU), 6-1, 6-1
Order of Finish: 2, 1, 5, 3, 4, 6