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No. 75 ODU Drops Hard Fought Semifinal Battle to No. 44 FIU, 4-2

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No. 75 ODU Drops Hard Fought Semifinal Battle to No. 44 FIU, 4-2No. 75 ODU Drops Hard Fought Semifinal Battle to No. 44 FIU, 4-2

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.

C-USA TOURNAMENT CENTRAL

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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