BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The No. 63 Old Dominion’s women’s tennis team (7-4) took down No. 49 nationally ranked Indiana (9-5) in dramatic fashion by a 4-3 score and then downed Southern Illinois (8-5) by a 4-0 score on Saturday afternoon at the Indiana University Tennis Center.
“I'm really happy for the team today,” said ODU head coach Dom Manilla. “After a slow start in doubles against Indiana we needed to step up. We played our hearts out in the singles and got the job done.”
The Hoosiers jumped out to an early 1-0 advantage after claiming the doubles point, but the Lady Monarchs were not fazed.
Nikol Hristova tied the team score at one apiece after she made quick work of Stephanie Smith (6-2, 6-2) on Court No. 4.
Ingrid Vojcinakova had no problem with Natalie Whalen (6-0, 6-3) on Court No. 5 to give Old Dominion a 2-1 advantage.
Indiana won the next two singles matches to take back the lead, 3-2.
After dropping the first set on Court No. 2, Borislava Botusharova was too much for Indiana’s Paula Gutierrez in sets two and three (4-6, 6-4, 6-1) to tie the team score at 3-3.
It was Old Dominion’s true freshman Nataliya Vlasova sealed the deal for the Lady Monarchs when she claimed victory in a back and forth marathon match against Sarah McLean (4-6, 6-1, 6-4) to lift ODU to a thrilling 4-3 win.
Against Southern Illinois, Old Dominion claimed the doubles point after Nikol Hristova/Nataliya Vlasova and Ingrid Vojcinakova/Marijana Novakovic took care of business on Court Two and Three.
Borislava Botusharova handled SIU’s Athena Chrysanthou in straight sets (6-3, 6-4) on Court No. 2.
Old Dominion’s Ingrid Vojcinakova defeated Southern Illinois’ Katie Fries (6-2, 6-3) in the No. 5 slot, while ODU true freshman Natalya Malenko beat Yana Golovkina, 6-2, 6-2.
NEXT UP FOR THE LADY TENNIS MONARCHS
Old Dominion will be back in action on Wednesday, March 9 against UNLV in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Team Score
No. 63 Old Dominion: 4, No. 49 Indiana: 3
DOUBLES
1. Whalen/McLean (IU) def. Adriana Rajkovic/Natalya Malenko (ODU) 6-1
2. Schmider/Smith (IU) def. Nikol Hristova/Nataliya Vlasova (ODU) 6-1
3. Ingrid Vojcinakova/Marijana Novakovic (ODU) unfinished Wolf/Appel (IU) 4-3
Order of finish: 2, 1
SINGLES
1. Madison Appel (IU) def. Adriana Rajkovic (ODU) 6-4, 4-6, 6-1
2. Borislava Botusharova (ODU) def. Paula Gutierrez (IU) 4-6, 6-4, 6-1
3. Nataliya Vlasova (ODU) def. Sarah McLean (IU) 4-6, 6-1, 6-4
4. Nikol Hristova (ODU) def. Stephanie Smith (IU) 6-2, 6-2
5. Ingrid Vojcinakova (ODU) def. Natalie Whalen (IU) 6-0, 6-3
6. Danielle Wolf (IU) def. Natalya Malenko (ODU) 6-2, 3-6, 6-1
Order of finish: 4, 5, 6, 1, 2, 3
Team Score
No. 63 Old Dominion: 4, Southern Illinois: 0
DOUBLES
1. Adriana Rajkovic/Natalya Malenko (ODU) dnf. Cai/Cordero (SIU) 2-5
2. Nikol Hristova/Nataliya Vlasova (ODU) def. Monaghan/Beirao (SIU) 6-1
3. Ingrid Vojcinakova/Marijana Novakovic (ODU) def. Chrysanthou/Golovkina (SIU) 6-0
SINGLES
1. Adriana Rajkovic (ODU) dnf. Xiwei Cai (SIU) 4-6, 3-4
2. Borislava Botusharova (ODU) def. Athena Chrysanthou (SIU) 6-3, 6-4
3. Nataliya Vlasova (ODU) dnf. Ana Sofia Cordero (SIU) 6-2, 4-4
4. Nikol Histrova (ODU) dnf. Meagan Monaghan (SIU) 3-6, 2-3
5. Ingrid Vojcinakova (ODU) def. Katie Fries (SIU) 6-2, 6-3
6. Natalya Malenko (ODU) def. Yana Golovkina (SIU) 6-2, 6-2
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