MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – In a match that lasted nearly three and a half hours, the No. 75 nationally ranked and No. 4 seeded Old Dominion women’s tennis team (14-8) fell to No. 44 nationally ranked and No. 1 seeded Florida International (17-2) by a 4-2 score in the Semifinals of the Conference USA Tournament on Saturday at the Adams Tennis Complex.
The Panthers jumped out to an early 1-0 advantage after claiming the doubles point.
ODU senior Nikol Hristova cut ODU’s deficit in half, 2-1, when she made quick work out of Carlotta Orlando (6-2, 6-1) in No. 4 singles.
Borislava Botusharova tied the match at 2-2 when she won a tight three-setter against Maryna Veksler (6-3, 2-6, 6-2) in No. 1 singles.
FIU held onto a 3-2 lead with two singles matches left to be completed. In No. 6 singles, ODU freshman Natalya Malenko was up 4-3 in her third set, when Ingrid Vojcinakova ended up losing an absolute heartbreaker in No. 5 singles to Nerma Caluk (6-1, 0-6, 7-6 (7-3)). Caluk’s three-set tiebreak victory sealed the deal for FIU on Saturday afternoon, securing the Panthers a spot in the Conference USA Championship match on Sunday.
Old Dominion ended the season claiming victory in 10 of its last 14 matches.
Tennis Match Results
Old Dominion University vs. FIU Panthers
4/23/2016 at Murfreesboro, Tenn.
#44 FIU Panthers 4, #75 Old Dominion University 2
Singles competition
1. Borislava Botusharova (ODU) def. Maryna Veksler (FIU) 6-3, 2-6, 6-2
2. Nina Nagode (FIU) def. Adriana Rajkovic (ODU) 6-0, 6-1
3. Andrea Lazaro (FIU) def. Nataliya Vlasova (ODU) 7-6 (9-7), 6-3
4. Nikol Hristova (ODU) def. Carlotta Orlando (FIU) 6-2, 6-1
5. Nerma Caluk (FIU) def. Ingrid Vojcinakova (ODU) 6-1, 0-6, 7-6 (7-3)
6. Natalya Malenko (ODU) vs. Kaitlin Brozovich (FIU) 6-4, 5-7, 4-3, unfinished
Doubles competition
1. Nina Nagode/Maryna Veksler (FIU) def. Ingrid Vojcinakova/Adriana Rajkovic (ODU) 7-5
2. Andrea Lazaro/Carlotta Orlando (FIU) vs. Nataliya Vlasova/Nikol Hristova (ODU) 6-5, unfinished
3. Kaitlin Brozovich/Nerma Caluk (FIU) def. Marijana Novakovic/Borislava Botusharova (ODU) 6-4
Match Notes:
Old Dominion University 14-8; National ranking #75
FIU Panthers 17-2; National ranking #44
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (2,4,1,3,5)
2016 Conference USA Women's Tennis Championship Semifinals
No. 1 FIU vs. No. 4 ODU
Official: Ted Mason
T-3:20
A-107
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