IOWA CITY, Iowa - The Penn State women’s tennis team dropped a 4-2 road contest against Iowa on Friday night. The Nittany Lions moved to 12-7 (3-5 Big Ten) while the Hawkeyes improved to 10-10 (4-5 Big Ten).
Patricia Grigoras, playing on court two, and Maiko Uchijima, competing at the four spot, earned singles victories for the Blue & White.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Iowa secured a hard-fought doubles point with wins on courts two and three. Jordina Cegarra and Maria Daciana Ciubotaru dropped a 6-1 result to Nikita Vishwase and Pia Kranholdt on court three before Grigoras and Uchijima fell, 7-5, against Tereza Dejnozkova and Emma Tothová on court two. At the top spot, Olivia Dorner and Maelie Monfils trailed in a tight battle, 6-5, against No. 49 Daianne Hayashida and Mia Mack
The Hawkeyes picked up the first singles win of the day as Monfils fell to No. 52 Mack, 6-3, 6-1, on court one. Uchijima responded to get Penn State on the board with a court four singles victory over Tothová. After falling behind 5-3 in the first set, the senior won 10 consecutive games to take the match, 7-5, 6-0. Uchijima now has a singles win on four different courts.
Brianna Baldi dropped a 7-5, 6-1 decision against Kranholdt on court six to give Iowa a 3-1 advantage. Grigoras would keep Penn State alive with a three-set triumph on court two. The sophomore earned a 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 victory for her second Big Ten singles win in a row after taking a court one win against Rutgers.
Iowa clinched the match as Ciubotaru fell, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, on court five against Vishwase. Dorner was in a hotly contested match on court three as her dual with Dejnozkova went unfinished with a score of 2-6, 6-3, 5-5.
RESULTS
Iowa 4, Penn State 2 – Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex – Iowa City, Iowa
Doubles
1. No. 49 Daianne Hayashida/Mia Mack (IOWA) vs. Olivia Dorner/Maelie Monfils (PSU): 6-5 (unfinished)
2. Tereza Dejnozkova/Emma Tothová (IOWA) def. Patricia Grigoras/Maiko Uchijima (PSU): 7-5
3. Nikita Vishwase/Pia Kranholdt (IOWA) def. Jordina Cegarra/Maria Daciana Ciubotaru (PSU): 6-1
Singles
1. No. 52 Mia Mack (IOWA) def. Maelie Monfils (PSU): 6-3, 6-1
2. Patricia Grigoras (PSU) def. Daianne Hayashida (IOWA): 6-4, 1-6, 6-3
3. Olivia Dorner (PSU) vs. Tereza Dejnozkova (IOWA): 2-6, 6-3, 5-5 (unfinished)
4. Maiko Uchijima (PSU) def. Emma Tothová (IOWA): 7-5, 6-0
5. Nikita Vishwase (IOWA) def. Maria Daciana Ciubotaru (PSU): 4-6, 6-3, 6-1
6. Pia Kranholdt (IOWA) def. Brianna Baldi (PSU): 7-6, 6-1
UP NEXT
Penn State will close the weekend with another road contest at Nebraska on Sunday. First serve from the Sid and Hazel Dillon Tennis Center is slated for 11 a.m.
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