Women’s Tennis Returns Home for Doubleheader Against Mercyhurst and Mount St. Mary’s

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State women’s tennis team (3-0, 0-0 Big Ten) is back at home for a doubleheader against Mercyhurst (0-0, 0-0 NEC) and Mount St. Mary’s (0-3, 0-0 MAAC) on Sunday, February 8. The Nittany Lions will take on the Lakers at noon before facing the Mountaineers at 5 p.m. from the Indoor Tennis Center. 

Sunday’s doubleheader marks the beginning of a 10-match homestand for the Blue & White. Penn State will remain in Happy Valley for five straight weekends, including three against Big Ten opponents. Big Ten play opens against Ohio State on February 15 with Michigan State on March 6 and Michigan on March 8 as the final matches in the home stretch. 

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT 

• Penn State defeated five-time defending Sun Belt champion Old Dominion, 4-3, on Wednesday in Norfolk, Virginia. 

• The Nittany Lions picked up three victories over ranked opponents in the win, led by Maelie Monfils who was able to secure a ranked win in doubles and singles. 

• At the top spot for doubles, Monfils paired with Olivia Dorner for a 7-6 (7-2) triumph over No. 75 Kira Matushkina and Victoria Matasova. The pair had to rally from a 5-1 deficit in the match that clinched a crucial doubles point. 

• On the singles side, Monfils took down No. 65 Matushkina, 7-5, 7-5, on court one. Additionally, that win clinched the match for the Blue & White. On court two, Maiko Uchijima bested No. 81 Matasova, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5).  

• Dorner was the first to win a singles match when she cruised to a 6-3, 6-1 win against Lidiia Rasskouskaia on court five. 

• The tandem of Brianna Baldi and Maria Daciana Ciubotaru was the other doubles pairing to get a win as they took a court two victory over Uladzislava Manzhos and Marina Markina, 6-4. 

ACROSS THE NET 

MERCYHURST 

• The Lakers are set for their first weekend of spring play starting with a road trip to Bucknell on Saturday before coming to Happy Valley on Sunday. 

• Mercyhurst competed in five fall tournaments: Allegheny Invitational, IUP Invitational, Bloomsburg Invitational, Binghamton Tennis Championships and ITA Northeast Regional. 

• The pairing of Celeste Davis and Daria Rogova earned an 8-1 win at the ITA Northeast Regional in the round of 64.  

• The Lakers are coming off a 5-7 (1-3 NEC) season in 2025. 

MOUNT ST. MARY’S 

• The Mountaineers enter the weekend with a 0-3 record with a trip to Navy on Saturday ahead of the matchup with Penn State on Sunday. 

• Mount St. Mary’s is coming off a 7-0 defeat at the hands of William & Mary with the other losses coming against George Washington, 6-1, and Bucknell, 4-3. 

• Bella Pescatore owns a court five singles win against George Washington and teamed with Venus Tang for a doubles victory over Bucknell. The Mount was able to secure the doubles point in the match with the Bison. 

• Margherita Trolese and Anna Barlini recorded singles wins against Bucknell. 

SERIES HISTORY 

MERCYHURST 

• Sunday will mark the first meeting between the Nittany Lions and Lakers with Mercyhurst University in its second year as a NCAA Division I institution. 

MOUNT ST. MARY’S 

• Penn State and Mount St. Mary’s met for the first time a season ago, a 4-0 victory for the Nittany Lions in Happy Valley. 

• In the matchup, Olivia Dorner and Patricia Grigoras picked up singles victories while Grigoras paired with Cegarra for a doubles win.