UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State women’s tennis (9-1, 0-1 Big Ten) secured a 4-2 victory over No. 25 Yale (9-2, 0-0 Ivy League) at the Indoor Tennis Center on Sunday. It was the program’s second top 25 win in as many years after taking down No. 14 USC in Happy Valley a season ago.
Olivia Dorner and Maelie Monfils clinched a pivotal doubles point for the Nittany Lions with a 7-5 win over No. 11 Orly Ogilvy and Leena Friedman. It was the third victory over a ranked opponent for the tandem in addition to it being the high-ranked win on the team across singles and doubles play.
Patricia Grigoras and Maiko Uchijima also won in doubles while Uchijima, Brianna Baldi and Maria Daciana Ciubotaru took singles triumphs. Ciubotaru earned the match-clinching victory for the Blue & White on court six.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Penn State earned the doubles point in dramatic fashion with victories on the top two courts. Grigoras and Uchijima earned a 6-3 win on court two. The pair earned their fourth victory of the spring over Erin Ha and Angela Huang.
Dorner and Monfils picked up a monumental win on court one over No. 11 Ogilvy and Friedman to clinch the point. The match went back-and-forth with the pair from Yale owning a 4-3 advantage at one point. It would reach a tie at 5-5 before Dorner and Monfils secured two consecutive games to clinch the doubles point.
Baldi and Ciubotaru trailed in a close, 6-5 match on court three against Shyla Aggarwal and Julia Werdiger before it went unfinished.
In singles, Uchijima made it 2-0 in favor of the Nittany Lions on court two. The senior was in control from beginning to end as she took the 6-3, 6-1 victory over Wediger. The Bulldogs would respond as Monfils fell to Ogilvy, 6-4, 6-3, on court one.
The Blue & White pushed its advantage to 3-1 as Baldi took down Angela Huang at the four spot. After going down 4-0 to start the first set, the sophomore was able to bring it to 4-4. She ultimately dropped the opening frame, 6-4, but was able to carry the momentum into the next two sets. She took the next two, 6-2, 6-3, to secure the win.
Yale was able to bring it to 3-2 as Grigoras dropped a hard-fought match on court three, 7-5, 5-7, 6-3, against Friedman.
Ciubotaru clinched the dual for Penn State with a dominant showing. The sophomore was in command from the start as she cruised to a 6-2, 6-2 triumph against Ha on court six. The crowd erupted at the Indoor Tennis Center as Penn State took its second top 25 victory in as many seasons.
Dorner, playing on court five, had her match go unfinished in the middle of a tiebreaker in the second set.
RESULTS
Penn State 4, No. 25 Yale 2 – Indoor Tennis Center – University Park, Pa.
Doubles
1. Olivia Dorner/Maelie Monfils (PSU) def. No. 11 Orly Ogilvy/Leena Friedman (YALE): 7-5
2. Patricia Grigoras/Maiko Uchijima (PSU) def. Erin Ha/Angela Huang (YALE): 6-3
3. Brianna Baldi/Maria Daciana Ciubotaru (PSU) vs. Shyla Aggarwal/Julia Werdiger (YALE): 5-6 (unfinished)
Singles
1. Orly Ogilvy (YALE) def. Maelie Monfils (PSU): 6-4, 6-3
2. Maiko Uchijima (PSU) def. Julia Werdiger (YALE): 6-3, 6-1
3. Leena Friedman (YALE) def. Patricia Grigoras (PSU): 7-5, 5-7, 6-3
4. Brianna Baldi (PSU) def. Angela Huang (YALE): 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
5. Olivia Dorner (PSU) vs. Shyla Aggarwal (YALE): 4-6, 6-6 (unfinished)
6. Maria Daciana Ciubotaru (PSU) def. Erin Ha (YALE): 6-2, 6-2
UP NEXT
The Nittany Lions get into the swing of Big Ten play with home matches against Michigan State and Michigan next weekend. Penn State will host the Spartans at 4 p.m. on Friday, March 6 and the Wolverines at 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 8.
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