UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State women’s tennis earned a 4-2 victory over Maryland on Friday afternoon at the Indoor Tennis Center. The Nittany Lions improved to 11-6 (2-4 Big Ten) while the Terrapins dropped to 12-3 (4-2 Big Ten).
The Blue & White secured its 12th doubles point of the season in large part thanks to a ranked win by Olivia Dorner and Maelie Monfils as they defeated No. 37 Emma Ghirardato and Ema Kovacevic on court one. Maria Daciana Ciubotaru clinched her fiftth match of
The Terrapins entered the contest ranked No. 35 in the ITA poll, giving the Nittany Lions their second win over a top 35 opponent after taking down No. 25 Yale, 4-2, on March 1.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Nittany Lions won the doubles point of the season with victories on the top two courts. At court one, Monfils and Dorner earned their third ranked win of the spring, fourth overall, with a 6-3 triumph against No. 37 Ghirardato and Kovacevic. The duo is now 5-3 on court one in dual matches.
Patricia Grigoras and Maiko Uchijima clinched the point with a 6-3 triumph over Diya Challa and Oliwia Orlinska on court two. The win came just after Jordina Cegarra and Ciubotaru dropped a 6-3 decision against Tamari Gagoshidze and Magdalena Baniak on court three.
The Terrapins took the first singles match of the contest on court one. Monfils took the first set but dropped the next two against No. 110 Orlinska to result in a 4-6, 6-0, 6-4 final score. Uchijima secured her first Big Ten singles win of the season on court three. The senior earned a 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory against Baniak to give PSU a 2-1 edge.
Maryland evened the dual at 2-2 as Grigoras fell, 5-7, 6-1, 7-5, against Ghirardato on court two. Dorner would put Penn State back on top with a win on court four. She dropped the first set, 6-2, and found herself needing a tiebreak game in the second set. The senior took the tiebreak game, 7-4, then never looked back as she took the match 2-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2.
Ciubotaru clinched her fifth match of the season, including both Big Ten victories, with a dominant performance on court five. The sophomore cruised to a 6-3, 6-0 win over Kovacevic.
Brianna Baldi and Lucia Donnelly split the first two sets of their match on court six with Baldi taking the second, 6-2, before the match went unfinished.
RESULTS
Penn State 4, Maryland 2 – Indoor Tennis Center – University Park, Pa.
Doubles
1. Olivia Dorner/Maelie Monfils (PSU) def. No. 37 Emma Ghirardato/Ema Kovacevic (UMD): 6-3
2. Patricia Grigoras/Maiko Uchijima (PSU) def. Diya Challa/Oliwia Orlinska (UMD): 6-3
3. Tamari Gagoshidze/Magdalena Baniak (UMD) def. Jordina Cegarra/Maria Daciana Ciubotaru (PSU): 6-3
Singles
1. No. 110 Oliwia Orlinska (UMD) def. Maelie Monfils (PSU): 4-6, 6-0, 6-4
2. Emma Ghirardato (UMD) def. Patricia Grigoras (PSU): 5-7, 6-1, 7-5
3. Maiko Uchijima (PSU) def. Magdalena Baniak (UMD): 2-6, 6-3, 6-2
4. Olivia Dorner (PSU) def. Diya Challa (UMD): 2-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2
5. Maria Daciana Ciubotaru (PSU) def. Ema Kovacevic (UMD): 6-3, 6-0
6. Brianna Baldi (PSU) vs. Lucia Donnelly (UMD): 1-6, 6-2 (unfinished)
UP NEXT
Penn State will host Rutgers on Sunday. First serve at the Indoor Tennis Center is set for 3 p.m.
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