NORFOLK, Va. – The Old Dominion University women’s tennis team (9-6) fell to a very talented South Alabama team (13-1) by a score of 4-2 on Friday afternoon at the Folkes-Stevens Tennis Center. Like the Lady Monarchs, the Jaguars have been nationally ranked in the ITA Polls during this season. ODU will be right back in action at home for Senior Day on Sunday, April 6, against Morgan State at noon, with the Senior Ceremony beginning around 11:45 a.m.
On Friday, Dom Manilla’s Lady Monarchs really fought hard to garner the sole double’s point, as Nika Khmolovska and Ivana Vukovic were too much for South Alabama’s Paula Sanchez/Laura Matuskova, 8-4. In an absolute barnburner, ODU’s Nikol Hristova and Melissa Esnal Olguin were able to survive two match points in order to take down USA’s Emily Newton and Michaela Meszarosova in a tiebreak, 8-7(7-4). Hristova and Esnal Olguin advance their double’s record together to an impressive 8-2 mark for the season.
In singles on Friday afternoon on Court No. 1, Nikol Hristova was the first to finish her match, as she claimed a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Michaela Meszarosova. Hristova is now 10-4 on the season, with all 14 off her results coming at the No. 1 slot for the Lady Monarchs.
In No. 2 singles, Old Dominion’s Ingrid Vojcinakova was mounting a epic comeback after losing the first set 4-6 and then winning the second 6-1; however, Vojcinakova and Laura Valkova’s match was halted due to the clinch rule. The clinch rule came into effect, when South Alabama’s No.’s 3, 4, 5 and 6 all won their single’s matches, thus giving the Jaguars four team points and the victory over the Lady Monarchs on Friday.
After the match in Old Dominion’s locker-room, ODU players and staff were honored to be joined by Norfolk Policeman, John Richardson, who spoke to the Lady Monarchs about mental toughness and the affects that playing in fear can cause to the chemistry of the human brain.
SUNDAY IS SENIOR DAY FOR TWO LADY MONARCHS – vs. Morgan State at 12:00 p.m.
Senior Melissa Esnal Olguin (San Sebastian, Spain) is excelling at the No. 5 and 6 single’s positions with an 8-4 record, and has won two matches in a row. Fellow Lady Monarch senior, Nika Khmolovska (Odessa, Ukraine) has performed brilliantly for Old Dominion, possessing a 7-6 single’s record this season. Besides just wins on the court, Esnal Olguin and Khmolovska bring much needed experience and leadership to this year’s squad.
Meet Morgan State
Morgan State’s roster features two former Lady Monarchs in: Arina Alilueva (Senior/ Kursk, Russia) and Margarita Belyakova (Senior/Moscow, Russia). Both Alilueva and Belvakova played their freshmen seasons at Old Dominion, before transferring to Morgan State.
The Bears are coached by Sean Holcomb-Jones, who is in the midst of his third season at the helm at Morgan State. Two seasons ago, Holcomb-Jones led the men’s squad to the 2012 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) North Division title. Prior to coming to Morgan State, Holcomb-Jones spent two seasons as an assistant coach at The George Washington University.
RESULTS
South Alabama: 4 Old Dominion: 2
Doubles (Clinch Order: No. 2, No. 3 then No. 1)
1. Nikol Hristova/Melissa Esnal Olguin (ODU) def. Emily Newton/Michaela Meszarosova (USA) 8-7
2. Laura Valkova/Monica Mitta (USA) def. Ingrid Vojcinakova/Marijana Novakovic (ODU) 8-3
3. Nika Khmolovska/Ivana Vukovic (ODU) def. Paula Sanchez/Laura Matuskova (USA) 8-4
Singles (Clinch Order: No. 1, No. 3, No. 4, No. 6 then No. 5)
1. Nikol Hristova (ODU) def. Michaela Meszarosova (USA) 6-2, 6-1
2. Ingrid Vojcinakova (ODU) dnf. Laura Valkova (USA) 4-6, 6-1
3. Emily Newton (USA) def. Marijana Novakovic (ODU) 6-2, 6-3
4. Monica Mitta (USA) def. Melissa Esnal Olguin (ODU) 6-0, 6-3
5. Mary Angela Martin (USA) def. Ivana Vukovic (ODU) 6-4, 7-6
6. Paula Snachez (USA) def. Nika Khmolovska (ODU) 7-6, 6-4
DON’T FORGET THAT THE C-USA WOMEN’S TENNIS TOURNAMENT IS AT ODU – APRIL 16-20!
The Folkes-Stevens Tennis Center will be hosting Old Dominion’s first ever Conference USA Championship event on April 16-20, when the C-USA Women’s Tennis Tournament will take place. DON’T MISS OUT on your chance to watch some of the country’s top tennis talent on display in Norfolk, Va. FOR FREE!
MORE INFO ON 2014 C-USA TOURNAMENT: Conference USA Women’s Tennis Championship Central Page
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