PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The Old Dominion University women’s tennis team will have a 12:00 p.m. showdown with the Quakers from the University of Penn at the Levy Tennis Pavilion.
The Last Time Penn and Old Dominion Squared Off in Women’s Tennis
On Feb. 24, 2013, the Lady Monarchs and Quakers battled in epic fashion at the Folkes-Stevens Tennis Center, where Old Dominion came from behind and pulled out a 4-3 victory.
Last season in that match, Penn pulled out the double’s point with tight wins at No. 1 and No. 3. ODU got on the board with a 6-2, 6-3 win from Nikol Hristova at No. 2 singles. Nika Khmolovska followed with a 6-4, 6-4 victory at No. 6, but the Quakers earned a 7-5, 6-1 win from Sol Eskenazi at No. 1 and a 6-2, 6-3 triumph from Sonya Latycheva at No. 3.
Next, Ivana Vukovic dropped her first set 6-4 and came back to win the second set 6-4 and delivered a 6-1 third set win to tie the match. It was then, that Melissa Esnal Olguin dropped her first match 6-3, but won the second 7-5 and put the match away with a 6-1 third-set victory to lift the Lady Monarchs to win.
The 2014 Old Dominion Lady Monarchs
Last weekend, Old Dominion kicked off the 2014 spring season with two team victories in dominating fashion. ODU defeated the Bison from Howard University, 4-1, on Saturday afternoon and then the Spartans from Norfolk State, 7-0, on Saturday night at the Folkes-Stevens Tennis Center.
Howard Recap
In single’s play, ODU’s Ingrid Vojcinakova beat Umarah Mughnee from Howard (6-2, 6-3). Nika Khomolovska picked up another point for the Lady Monarch’s after winning her match over Maame Osei (HOW), 6-4, 6-0, while Melissa Esnal Olguin made quick work of Howard’s Jessica Josiah (6-1, 6-1).
In double’s action, Old Dominion’s Nikol Hristova and Ingrid Vojcinakova defeated Howard’s Katelyn Stokes and Stacey Roheman, 6-3. ODU’s Faith Atiso and Ivana Vukovic took down Maame Osei and Jessica Josiah from Howard, 6-3, clinching the doubles point for the Lady Monarchs.
Norfolk State Recap
The Lady Monarchs cruised past the Spartans of Norfolk State, starting with a singles victory for Old Dominion’s Nikol Hristova over Liza Gordeeva (6-2, 6-0). Melissa Esnal Olguin did not give up a game against Krystal Scott (6-0, 6-0). Adding another team point for the Lady Monarchs was freshman Ingrid Vojcinakova with her victory over Andrea Macchiavello (6-1, 6-0).
In doubles, it was much of the same with the duo of Nikol Hristova and Ingrid Vokcinakova helping earn the first point for the Lady Monarchs. The win of Faith Atiso and Ivana Vukovic clinched the sole double’s team point for the Old Dominion.
Meet the 2014 Penn Quakers
The Quakers appear to be poised and deep this season, after sending seven players to the USTA/ITA Regional Championships in the fall. Individual main-draw competitors for the Regional Championships included: junior Sol Eskenazi, sophomore Sonya Latycheva and freshmen Kana Daniel and Luba Vazhenia. Seniors Jaime Yapp-Shing and Stephanie Do competed in the individual qualifying draw and junior Alex Ion joined her teammates competing in doubles competition.
A year ago, Penn went 10-9 overall and 2-5 in Ivy League play.
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Women's Tennis Ready to Battle Penn in Philly Sat. at Noon
