LINCOLN, Neb. - Penn State women’s tennis dropped a road match against Nebraska on Sunday afternoon by a 4-2 margin. The Nittany Lions fell to 12-8 (3-6 Big Ten) while the Cornhuskers improved to 13-6 (6-4 Big Ten).
PSU got points from singles victories by Maelie Monfils on court one and Patricia Grigoras on court two. It was Monfils’ first Big Ten singles win and the third in a row for Grigoras.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Nebraska took the doubles point with victories on courts two and three. Maria Daciana Ciubotaru and Jordina Cegarra fell, 6-4, against Emma Rizzetto and Tiziana Rossini on court three before Grigoras and Maiko Uchijima dropped a 6-4 result on court two against Reya Lee Coe and Natalia Trigosso. Olivia Dorner and Monfils were in a 5-5 battle against No. 65 Katie Spencer and Conley Raidt as the match went unfinished.
The Cornhuskers opened the scoring in singles play as Uchijima fell, 6-2, 6-2, against Rizzetto on court four. Monfils would respond with a court one victory to give the Nittany Lions their first point of the afternoon. She earned her first Big Ten triumph of the season with a 6-2, 6-3 win against Maria Taranova. The junior was in control from start to finish in her fifth court one victory this season.
Grigoras evened the score at 2-2 with a court two win. The sophomore won her fourth Big Ten match of the season, third in a row, with a 6-1, 7-5 result over Raidt. She now has a combined record of 6-3 on the top two courts this spring.
Ciubotaru fell, 6-4, 6-3, against Catherine Gagnon on court five to make it 3-2 in favor of Nebraska. The Cornhuskers clinched the match as Dorner dropped a 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 result against Spencer on court three. Brianna Baldi trailed in the third set against Rossini at the six spot before the match went unfinished with a score of 6-3, 4-6, 5-3.
RESULTS
Nebraska 4, Penn State 2 – Sid and Hazel Dillon Tennis Center – Lincoln, Neb.
Doubles
1. Olivia Dorner/Maelie Monfils (PSU) vs. No. 65 Katie Spencer/Conley Raidt (NEB): 5-5 (unfinished)
2. Reya Lee Coe/Natalia Trigosso (NEB) def. Patricia Grigoras/Maiko Uchijima (PSU): 6-4
3. Emma Rizzetto/Tiziana Rossini (NEB) def. Jordina Cegarra/Maria Daciana Ciubotaru (PSU): 6-4
Singles
1. Maelie Monfils (PSU) def. Maria Taranova (NEB): 6-2, 6-3
2. Patricia Grigoras (PSU) def. Conley Raidt (NEB): 6-1, 7-5
3. Katie Spencer (NEB) def. Olivia Dorner (PSU): 5-7, 6-2, 6-1
4. Emma Rizzetto (NEB) def. Maiko Uchijima (PSU): 6-2, 6-2
5. Catherine Gagnon (NEB) def. Maria Daciana Ciubotaru (PSU): 6-4, 6-3
6. Tiziana Rossini (NEB) vs. Brianna Baldi (PSU): 6-3, 4-6, 5-3 (unfinished)
UP NEXT
Penn State hits the road again next weekend. The Nittany Lions will face Indiana on April 11 at noon and Purdue at 10 a.m. the next day.
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