UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State women’s tennis team split its doubleheader against No. 2 Ohio State and St. Bonaventure on Sunday. The Nittany Lions (6-1, 1-0 Big Ten) fell to the Buckeyes (7-1, 1-0 Big Ten) in a 5-2 decision before a commanding 7-0 triumph over the Bonnies (0-9, 0-0 Atlantic 10).
Against Ohio State, Patricia Grigoras earned the first ranked victory of her career as she took down No. 114 Sophia Cisse-Ignatiev, 6-1, 5-7, 11-9. Penn State did not concede a single set in the win over St. Bonaventure.
HOW IT HAPPENED – OHIO STATE
Ohio State took the doubles point with wins on courts two and three. Brianna Baldi and Maria Daciana Ciubotaru fell to No. 89 Flora Johnson and Nao Nishino at the three spot before Grigoras and Maiko Uchijima dropped a 6-3 decision to Alessia Cau and Sophia Cisse-Ignatiev on court two.
The second-ranked Buckeyes extended their lead with victories on courts one and two. At the top spot, Maelie Monfils fell to No. 3 Luciana Perry, 6-1, 6-1, while Uchijima dropped to No. 13 Tea Chavez, 6-3, 6-3, on court two. Ohio State clinched the match on court four when No. 52 Nishino defeated Olivia Dorner, 6-3, 6-2.
Grigoras picked up a monumental victory on court three over No. 114 Cisse-Ignatiev. After cruising to a 6-1 win in the first set, the sophomore dropped a tight second set, 7-5, leading to the 10-point tiebreaker set. Grigoras showed grit in the tiebreaker as the two traded points with neither taking sizeable lead. The Middle Village, New York native found herself trailing 9-8 before rattling off three straight points to close it out.
Baldi was Penn State’s second singles match winner as she took down Flora Johnson on court five. After a hotly contested first set that saw Baldi edge out Johnson, 7-5, the sophomore left no doubt in the second, taking it 6-1.
Ciubotaru fell to Cau, 6-2, 6-3, on court six to close out the match.
HOW IT HAPPENED – ST. BONAVENTURE
Penn State made quick work of the Bonnies in doubles play. The Nittany Lions got going with a 6-0 win against Tamara Bachmann and Sara Montano Parada on court one by No. 72 Dorner and Uchijima, playing their first match together in the spring season.
Jordina Cegarra and Ansley Cox defeated Sienna Smith and Kelly Barnes at the two spot, 6-2, to clinch the doubles point. Ciubotaru and Katerina Dimitrova held a 4-1 edge over Kashish Bote and Gabriella Blumberg on court three before the match went unfinished.
Grigoras rounded out her day with a dominant performance on the top court for singles. After dropping the first game, she won 12 straight to take the match 6-1, 6-0 against Montano Parada. Cox gave Penn State a 3-0 lead with another resounding victory as she bested Bote, 6-0, 6-0, at the four spot.
Dorner clinched the win for Penn State on court two. The senior defeated Bachmann, 6-2, 6-2, in a match she controlled from the start. Ciubotaru was the next to get on the board as she earned a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Smith on court three.
Cegarra captured a 6-1, 6-2 victory on court five against Blumberg to put the Nittany Lions up 6-0 before Dimitrova completed the sweep with a 6-0, 6-3 win over Barnes on court six.
RESULTS – OHIO STATE
No. 2 Ohio State 5, Penn State 2 – Indoor Tennis Center – University Park, Pa.
Doubles
1. Olivia Dorner/Maelie Monfils (PSU) vs. Luciana Perry/Audrey Spencer (OSU): 1-5 (unfinished)
2. Alessia Cau/Sophia Cisse-Ignatiev (OSU) def. Patricia Grigoras/Maiko Uchijima (PSU): 6-3
3. No. 89 Flora Johnson/Nao Nishino (OSU) def. Brianna Baldi/Maria Daciana Ciubotaru (PSU): 6-0
Singles
1. No. 3 Luciana Perry (OSU) def. Maelie Monfils (PSU): 6-1, 6-1
2. No. 13 Teah Chavez (OSU) def. Maiko Uchijima (PSU): 6-3, 6-3
3. Patricia Grigoras (PSU) def. No. 114 Sophia Cisse-Ignatiev (OSU): 6-1, 5-7, 11-9
4. No. 52 Nao Nishino (OSU) def. Olivia Dorner (PSU): 6-3, 6-2
5. Brianna Baldi (PSU) def. Flora Johnson (OSU): 7-5, 6-1
6. Alessia Cau (OSU) def. Maria Daciana Ciubotaru (PSU): 6-2, 6-3
RESULTS – ST. BONAVENTURE
Penn State 7, St. Bonaventure 0 – Indoor Tennis Center – University Park, Pa.
Doubles
1. No. 72 Olivia Dorner/Maiko Uchijima (PSU) def. Tamara Bachmann/Sara Montano Parada (SBU): 6-0
2. Jordina Cegarra/Ansley Cox (PSU) def. Sienna Smith/Kelly Barnes (SBU): 6-2
3. Maria Daciana Ciubotaru/Katerina Dimitrova (PSU) vs. Kashish Bote/Gabriella Blumberg (SBU): 4-1 (unfinished)
Singles
1. Patricia Grigoras (PSU) def. Sara Montano Parada (SBU): 6-1, 6-0
2. Olivia Dorner (PSU) def. Tamara Bachmann (SBU): 6-2, 6-2
3. Maria Daciana Ciubotaru (PSU) def. Sienna Smith (SBU): 6-3, 6-0
4. Ansley Cox (PSU) def. Kashish Bote (SBU): 6-0, 6-0
5. Jordina Cegarra (PSU) def. Gabriella Blumberg (SBU): 6-1, 6-2
6. Katerina Dimitrova (PSU) def. Kelly Barnes (SBU): 6-0, 6-3
UP NEXT
Penn State stays in Happy Valley for a weekend of competition against two Sun Belt opponents. The Nittany Lions will play James Madison at 4 p.m. on Friday, February 20 and Marshall at noon on Sunday, February 22.
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