UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State women’s tennis battled No. 22 Washington before ultimately falling, 4-2, at Sarni Tennis Center on Friday evening. The Nittany Lions dropped to 13-10 (4-8 Big Ten) while the Huskies improved to 18-3 (9-3 Big Ten).
The pairing of No. 89 Olivia Dorner and Maelie Monfils secured their fifth straight court one doubles triumph while Dorner and Brianna Baldi contributed singles wins.
HOW IT HAPPENED
To open doubles, the tandem of No. 89 Dorner and Monfils extended their court one winning streak to five consecutive matches. The duo downed Erika Matsuda and Karolina Kozakova, 6-2, at the top spot.
The Huskies would respond as Baldi and Maria Daciana Ciubotaru dropped a 6-3 result on court three against Reece Carter and Jermine Sherif before Patricia Grigoras and Maiko Uchijima fell, 7-5, to Alexia Jacobs and Marie Weissheim on court two to give Washington a 1-0 edge.
Dorner evened the score as she secured her fifth Big Ten singles win of the season. The senior defeated Weissheim, 6-3, 6-3, on court four to give herself a 2-0 outing against the Huskies.
Baldi gave Penn State its first lead of the contest with a triumph on court six. She took the first set, 6-4, before needing the tiebreak in the second to close it out. The sophomore gutted out the tiebreak game, 7-6 (7-4), to get the Nittany Lions the point.
Washington would respond with three consecutive singles wins. Ciubotaru fell against Sherif, 7-6 (7-4), 6-1, on court five. Grigoras dropped a three-set match against No. 84 Carter, 7-6 (8-6), 0-6, 6-1 at the two spot. The match concluded as Monfils also fell in three sets against No. 82 Matsuda on court one, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Uchijima was in the midst of a three-set contest against Jacobs on court three as it would go unfinished.
RESULTS
No. 22 Washington 4, Penn State 2 – Sarni Tennis Center – University Park, Pa.
Doubles
1. No. 89 Olivia Dorner/Maelie Monfils (PSU) def. Erika Matsuda/Karolina Kozakova (UW): 6-2
2. Alexia Jacobs/Marie Weissheim (UW) def. Patricia Grigoras/Maiko Uchijima (PSU): 7-5
3. Reece Carter/Jermine Sherif (UW) def. Brianna Baldi/Maria Daciana Ciubotaru (PSU): 6-3
Singles
1. No. 82 Erika Matsuda (UW) def. Maelie Monfils (PSU): 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
2. No. 84 Reece Carter (UW) def. Patricia Grigoras (PSU): 7-6 (8-6), 0-6, 6-1
3. Alexia Jacobs (UW) vs. Maiko Uchijima (PSU): 7-6 (7-1), 4-6, 3-2 (unfinished)
4. Olivia Dorner (PSU) def. Marie Weissheim (UW): 6-3, 6-3
5. Jermine Sherif (UW) def. Maria Daciana Ciubotaru (PSU): 7-6 (7-4), 6-1
6. Brianna Baldi (PSU) def. Karolina Kozakova (UW): 6-3, 7-6 (7-4)
UP NEXT
Penn State welcomes Oregon on Sunday at 11 a.m. for Senior Day presented by the Penn State Alumni Association. The Blue & White will honor Olivia Dorner and Maiko Uchijima. The match will conclude the regular season for the Nittany Lions.
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