Feb. 25, 2018
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA.-- The Penn State women's tennis team defeated Buffalo, 6-1. After losing the doubles point, the team rallied back in singles to win the match.
Overall, the team went 1-2 in doubles. Bennett Dunn (Orlando, Fla.) and Shannon Hanley (Kensington, Md.) got the lone doubles win, in a come from behind victory over Tanja Stojanovska and Anna Savchenko, 7-5. Gabby O'Gorman (Gunnedah, N.S. Wales, Australia) and Samantha Smith, fell in the tie-breaker to Chantal Martinez Blanco and Lolade Ogungbesan, 7-6. Frederikke Svarre (Copenhagen, Denmark) and Hanna Wikberg (Stockholm, Sweden) fell to Emel Abibula and Arianna Paules Aldrey, 6-4.
Down 1-0 heading into singles, the Nittany Lions dominated the courts, going 6-0. O'Gorman defeated Martinez Blanco in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2, to even the score at 1-1. Svarre won against Stojanovska, 6-3, 6-4 to give the Nittany Lions a 2-1 lead, that they never let go of. Smith came from being down 3-0 in the first set, to defeat Abibula, 6-3, 6-2. Hanley clinched the match victory with a win over Ogungbesan, 6-0, 7-5. Dunn came from behind in the first set to defeat Losada Rubio, 7-6, 6-0. Wikberg gutted out the win in the 10-point tie-break over Sudhir, 6-7, 6-4, 1-0 (10-6).
"Credit to Buffalo, for the doubles point, I felt like they came out and played looser and more relaxed than us," said head coach Chris Cagle. "I wasn't a happy camper after doubles, but we did what good teams do and we came out and started off strong in singles. To win all six matches in singles against a team that went to the NCAAs last year, shows good things. Excited to get back to work this week, and get ready for our spring break trip, which starts next Saturday at Princeton."
The Lions are now 5-4 on the season and 0-1 in the Big Ten. Looking ahead, the team will hit the road and travel to face Princeton on Saturday, Mar. 3 at 10 a.m.
Keep up with the Penn State women's tennis team at GoPSUsports.com. For continued updates throughout the year, make sure to `like' our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennstatewten and follow our twitter @pennstateWTEN.
Doubles Final:
- Bennett Dunn/Shannon Hanley (PSU) def. Tanja Stojanovska/Anna Savchenko (BUF) 7-5
- Chantal Martinez Bla/Lolade Ogungbesan (BUF) def. Gabby O'Gorman/Samantha Smith (PSU) 7-6
- Emel Abibula/Arianna Paules Aldre (BUF) def. Frederikke Svarre/Hanna Wikberg (PSU) 6-4
Singles Final:
- Gabby O'Gorman (PSU) def. Chantal Martinez Bla (BUF) 6-3, 6-2
- Frederikke Svarre (PSU) def. Tanja Stojanovska (BUF) 6-3, 6-4
- Shannon Hanley (PSU) def. Lolade Ogungbesan (BUF) 6-0, 7-5
- Samantha Smith (PSU) def. Emel Abibula (BUF) 6-3, 6-2
- Bennett Dunn (PSU) def. Mercedes Losada Rubi (BUF) 7-6, 6-0
- Hanna Wikberg (PSU) def. Sanjana Sudhir (BUF) 6-7, 6-4, 1-0 (10-6)