UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State women’s tennis secured a 5-2 victory against Marshall on Sunday at the Indoor Tennis Center on Sunday. The Nittany Lions improved to 8-1 while the Thundering Herd fell to 5-5.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Penn State picked up the doubles point behind victories on courts two and three. Both teams won three consecutive games to earn the wins after a close start to doubles play.
The first victory came from the tandem of Patricia Grigoras and Maiko Uchijima as they defeated Paula Berzina and Sarah Copley, 6-2, on court two. Jordina Cegarra and Ansley Cox closed it out with a 6-2 triumph against Nour El Ouazzani and Johanna Strom at the three spot. Cegarra and Cox improved to 4-0 in dual matches this season.
A tightly contested match between Olivia Dorner and Maelie Monfils and Alina Mokrynska and Polina Gumeniuk on court one went unfinished with the Marshall pair up 4-3.
The Nittany Lions and Thundering Herd battled throughout singles play. Brianna Baldi was the first to strike as she controlled her match from the beginning. The sophomore secured a 6-3, 6-2 win on court four against Copley for her fourth straight singles victory.
Marshall was able to respond as Grigoras fell to Mokrynska, 7-6, 6-1, at the three spot. Monfils quickly struck back as she took down Strom, 7-5, 6-3, at the top court to push Penn State ahead by a 3-1 margin. The junior owns four wins on court one this season.
Uchijima and Gumeniuk played a highly competitive three-set match on court two with Gumeniuk taking it, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3, to make it 3-2.
Maria Daciana Ciubotaru clinched the contest for the Nittany Lions with a resounding, 6-2, 6-1, win over El Ouazzani on court six. The Romanian sophomore now boasts victories on courts two, three, four and six.
Dorner closed out the match with a three-set win against Thalia Smith at the five spot. The senior owned the first set, 6-3, before dropping a close one, 7-5, in the second. Dorner left no doubt in the third set, taking it 6-3 to end the match.
RESULTS
Penn State 5, Marshall 2 – Indoor Tennis Center – University Park, Pa.
Doubles
1. Olivia Dorner/Maelie Monfils (PSU) vs. Alina Mokrynska/Polina Gumeniuk (MAR): 3-4
2. Patricia Grigoras/Maiko Uchijima (PSU) def. Paula Berzina/Sarah Copley (MAR): 6-2
3. Jordina Cegarra/Ansley Cox (PSU) def. Nour El Ouazzani/Johanna Strom (MAR): 6-2
Singles
1. Maelie Monfils (PSU) def. Johanna Strom (MAR): 7-5, 6-3
2. Polina Gumeniuk (MAR) def. Maiko Uchijima (PSU): 6-1, 4-6, 6-3
3. Alina Mokrynska (MAR) def. Patricia Grigoras (PSU): 7-6, 6-1
4. Brianna Baldi (PSU) def. Sarah Copley (MAR): 6-3, 6-2
5. Olivia Dorner (PSU) def. Thalia Smith (MAR): 6-3, 5-7, 6-3
6. Maria Daciana Ciubotaru (PSU) def. Nour El Ouazzani (MAR): 6-2, 6-1
UP NEXT
The Blue & White continue the homestand by hosting a pair of Ivy League institutions next weekend. Penn State will meet Princeton at noon on Saturday, February 28 before a contest with No. 20 Yale the following day at 10 a.m.
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