NORFOLK, Va. - The Penn State women’s tennis team earned an impressive 4-3 victory on the road over five-time defending Sun Belt champion Old Dominion on Wednesday. The Nittany Lions moved to 3-0 on the season while the Monarchs fell to 0-2.
In the win, Penn State picked up three ranked victories, one in doubles and two in singles. On the doubles side, the pairing of Olivia Dorner and Maelie Monfils defeated No. 75 Kira Matushkina and Victoria Matasova with Monfils collecting a ranked singles victory over No. 65 Matushkina as well. Maiko Uchijima, playing on court two, took down No. 81 Matasova in singles action to round out the ranked victories.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The doubles point came down to the wire with every match finishing within two sets. Old Dominion’s No. 45 tandem of Lidiia Rasskouskaia and Ulyana Romanova struck first as Patricia Grigoras and Uchijima fell short on court three in a 6-4 decision.
On court two, Brianna Baldi and Maria Daciana Ciubotaru evened the score with a 6-4 win against Uladzislava Manzhos and Marina Markina. The match was tight from start to finish until the sophomore pairing picked up the win by taking the final two sets.
After falling behind 5-1 to No. 75 Matushkina and Matasova on court one, Dorner and Monfils fought their way back to tie it at 5-5 before it went to a tiebreaker at 6-6. Dorner and Monfils owned the tiebreaker set, winning 7-2, to clinch the doubles point for the Nittany Lions.
Dorner got the Blue & White going in singles on court five. The senior took down Rasskouskaia, 6-3, 6-1, in a match she controlled from the start. Uchijima collected the second singles triumph of the day with a 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) result over No. 81 Matasova to put Penn State ahead 3-0.
The Monarchs got on the board on court four. Baldi responded from dropping the first set 6-0 to force a third set but the sophomore ultimately fell 6-0, 2-6, 6-3 to Manzhos.
Monfils clinched the win for PSU with the third ranked victory of the match. The junior dug deep as both sets required her to win seven games against No. 65 Matushkina, but Monfils prevailed to take the match 7-5, 7-5. With a 4-1 advantage, the Nittany Lions had the dual clinched with two matches still to play.
On court three, Grigoras fell in a tight three-set battle against Romanova, 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (9-7). At the six spot, Ciubotaru fell in another three-set match to Markina, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
RESULTS
Penn State 4, Old Dominion 3 – Folkes-Stevens Tennis Center – Norfolk, Va.
Doubles
1. Olivia Dorner/Maelie Monfils (PSU) def. No. 75 Kira Matushkina/Victoria Matasova (ODU): 7-6 (7-2)
2. Brianna Baldi/Maria Daciana Ciubotaru (PSU) def. Uladzislava Manzhos/Marina Markina (ODU): 6-4
3. No. 45 Lidiia Rasskouskaia/Ulyana Romanova (ODU) def. Patricia Grigoras/Maiko Uchijima (PSU): 6-4
Singles
1. Maelie Monfils (PSU) def. No. 65 Kira Matushkina (ODU): 7-5, 7-5
2. Maiko Uchijima (PSU) def. No. 81 Victoria Matasova (ODU): 6-3, 7-6 (7-5)
3. Ulyana Romanova (ODU) def. Patricia Grigoras (PSU): 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (9-7)
4. Uladzislava Manzhos (ODU) def. Brianna Baldi (PSU): 6-0, 2-6, 6-3
5. Olivia Dorner (PSU) def. Lidiia Rasskouskaia (ODU): 6-3, 6-1
6. Marina Markina (ODU) def. Maria Daciana Ciubotaru (PSU): 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
UP NEXT
Penn State returns home for a quick turnaround with a doubleheader against Mercyhurst and Mount St. Mary’s on Sunday. The match against the Lakers is set for a noon start while the Nittany Lions will face the Mountaineers at 5 p.m. It is the start of a 10-match homestand for PSU as the squad will remain at home until a road trip to Los Angeles to face USC on March 14 and UCLA on March 15.
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