TAMPA BAY, Fla. - The No. 67 Old Dominion University women’s tennis team will take on three teams over the next several days: No. 62 South Florida (Sunday at 11:00 a.m.), James Madison (Monday at 9:00 a.m.) and the No. 1 ranked Blue Devils of Duke University (Wednesday at 5:00 p.m.).
Old Dominion is now ranked No. 67 in the country, as announced this week by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (The Governing Body of College Tennis) after jumping out to a 6-2 overall start and pummeling Richmond (7-0) and Temple (5-2) last weekend.
Old Dominion started off the season handling Howard (4-1) and Norfolk State (7-0) convincingly. The Lady Monarchs then traveled to Philadelphia where they got the better of the University of Pennsylvania, 4-3. Last week, Penn was nationally ranked No. 68. ODU also was too much for the Mountaineers of West Virginia University (6-1).
ODU’s head coach Dom Manilla is having a very solid showing from both upper and underclassmen to this point in this season. This past weekend in singles, Old Dominion had a sophomore at No. 1, freshmen at No.’s 2 and 3, and a sophomore at No. 4. Even then, two of ODU’s seniors have also shined thus far, as Melissa Esnal Olguin currently posses a 5-1 single’s record, while fellow Lady Monarch senior Nika Khmolovska has won five of her first seven single’s matches.
In double’s play, Old Dominion’s fabulous freshmen duo of Ingrid Vojcinakova and Marijana Novakovic are 4-1 while teaming-up together.
About No. 62 South Florida
-Ranked No. 62 in latest ITA poll.
-8-3 overall record.
-Head Coach is Agustin Moreno and is in his ninth season at the helm at USF. Moreno has a 94-63 record with the program and led them to 2007 Big East title (first ever USF Big East Title in any sport) and 5 NCAA tournament appearances.
-USF is 7-3 and is currently riding a four-game winning streak.
-Loreto Alonso-Martinez was named AAC Women’s Tennis Player of the Week on March 4 after scoring two singles victories against San Diego and San Diego State. Against San Diego State, Loreto knocked off No. 54 Laura Antonana.
About JMU
-Team record is 5-2 and they’re currently on a four-game winning streak
-JMU swept the CAA weekly honors on March 5, as freshman Rachel Nelson was named CAA Player of the Week and is now 6-0 on the season and the pair of Alex Huie and Taylor Pinchoff were named CAA Team of the Week.
-Taylor Pinchoff was named First Team All CAA in singles and doubles in 2013.
-Head Coach is Maria Malerba in her 38th season. Malerba entered season with record of 427-282 (.602). Malerba ed the team to 12-7 record last season and their first appearance in the CAA semi finals since 2003.
About No. 1 Duke
-Ranked No. 1 in latest ITA poll.
-Team record of 11-1; only loss coming to No. 2 UVA (2/21). Have won three straight since loss to UVA including victories over No. 11 UNC and No. 25 Notre Dame.
-Beatrice Capra is currently ranked No. 2 in the nation in women’s singles.
-Ester Goldfeld is ranked No. 19 in latest ITA poll in singles.
-Hanna Mar is ranked No. 44 in women’s singles.
-Alyssa Smith is ranked No. 92 in singles.
-As a pair Beatrice Capra and Hanna Mar are ranked No. 4 in doubles.
-Annie Mulholland and Ester Goldfield are ranked No. 27 in doubles.
-Ester Goldfeld and Marianne Jodoin are ranked No. 43 in doubles.
-Head Coach is Jamie Ashworth who has been at the helm since 1997. Ashworth led Duke to 13 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances and won the National Championship in 2009. Ashworth possess a 383-93 (.805) overall record and has reached the NCAA semi finals eight times.
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