UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State women’s tennis secured a 4-2 victory over Michigan State on Friday night at the Indoor Tennis Center. Senior Olivia Dorner earned her 100th career victory with a singles win on court four.
The Nittany Lions (10-1, 1-1 Big Ten) defeated the Spartans (7-5, 0-2 Big Ten) by taking the doubles point and winning on courts three, four and five in singles.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Blue & White took the doubles point with wins on courts two and three. The sophomore tandem of Brianna Baldi and Maria Daciana Ciubotaru were the first to get a victory as they cruised to a 6-2 result against Amara Brahmbhatt and Nina Plihal at the three spot.
Patricia Grigoras and Maiko Uchijima clinched the point for Penn State on court two. The pairing jumped out to a 2-0 lead before trading games the rest of the way to complete a 6-4 victory against Oriana Parkins-Godwin and Issey Purser.
Michigan State took the first singles match of the contest as Uchijima fell to Brahmbhatt, 6-4, 6-2. The Nittany Lions would respond with two consecutive wins.
Dorner reached the century mark with a 6-4, 6-0 triumph over Plihal on court four to retake the lead at 2-1. The senior was dominant after a 3-3 start to the first set, winning nine of the next 10 games to close it out.
Grigoras made it 3-1 PSU on court three as she defeated Matilde Morais, 6-3, 6-3. The sophomore fell behind, 3-2, to open the first set before taking four games in a row. Grigoras did not look back as she began set two with a 4-1 advantage, closing it out from there.
The Spartans would make it 3-2 with a win on court one as Monfils fell in a hard-fought match against No. 109 Ellie Blackford, 1-6, 7-5, 6-4.
Ciubotaru once again played the hero as she clinched another match for Penn State, making it two in a row for the sophomore. She dominated her match on court five, taking down Parkins-Godwin, 6-1, 6-1, to clinch PSU’s first Big Ten win of the season.
Jordina Cegarra took the first set on court six against Purser before the match went unfinished at 6-3, 0-3.
RESULTS
Penn State 4, Michigan State 2 – Indoor Tennis Center – University Park, Pa.
Doubles
1. Ellie Blackford/Matilde Morais (MSU) vs. No. 75 Olivia Dorner/Maelie Monfils (PSU): 5-2 (unfinished)
2. Patricia Grigoras/Maiko Uchijima (PSU) def. Oriana Parkins-Godwin/Issey Purser (MSU): 6-4
3. Brianna Baldi/Maria Daciana Ciubotaru (PSU) def. Amara Brahmbhatt/Nina Plihal (MSU): 6-2
Singles
1. No. 109 Ellie Blackford (MSU) def. Maelie Monfils (PSU): 1-6, 7-5, 6-4
2. Amara Brahmbhatt (MSU) def. Maiko Uchijima (PSU): 6-4, 6-2
3. Patricia Grigoras (PSU) def. Matilde Morais (MSU): 6-3, 6-3
4. Olivia Dorner (PSU) def. Nina Plihal (MSU): 6-4, 6-0
5. Maria Daciana Ciubotaru (PSU) def. Oriana Parkins-Godwin (MSU): 6-1, 6-1
6. Jordina Cegarra (PSU) vs. Issey Purser (MSU): 6-3, 0-3 (unfinished)
UP NEXT
Penn State hosts Michigan at 11 a.m. on Sunday at the Indoor Tennis Center. The Nittany Lions look to match their 11-1 start from a season ago.
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