Starodubtseva Named C-USA Athlete of the Month

NORFOLK, Va. - Yuliia Starodubtseva of the Old Dominion women's tennis team was named the Conference USA Athlete of the Month, league officials announced on Tuesday afternoon.
 
So far this fall, Starodubtseva has defeated the No. 33, 49, and 63 ranked singles players. In doubles, Starodubtseva and teammate Tatsiana Sasnouskaya have taken down the No. 1, 15, 18, and 29 ranked tandems, as ODU's duo ended the ITA All-American Championships as national runner-up.
 
Wahoowa Invitational:
No. 36 Starodubtseva went 2-1 in singles, while defeating Auburn's No. 33 Selin Ovunc (6-7, 6-3, 10-4) and NC State's No. 49 Sophie Abrams (6-4, 6-3). Starodubtseva had match point against the No. 1 nationally ranked singles player, Emma Navarro of Virginia, but ultimately fell in the third set tiebreaker (6-4, 3-6, 11-13).
 
In doubles, ODU's No. 57 Starodubtseva/Sasnouskaya upset No. 18 Abigail Rencheli/Amelia Rajecki of NC State by a 6-4 score. Starodubtseva/Sasnouskaya finished with a 2-1 record, with their only setback coming to Virginia's No. 34 ranked duo of Emma Navarro and Melodie Collard (5-7).
 
Kitty Harrison Invitational:
No. 57 Starodubtseva and Sasnouskaya went 4-0 and won the Heel Doubles Draw of the Kitty Harrison Invitational.
 
All-American Championships:
In the Doubles Main Draw Round of 32, No. 57 Starodubtseva/Sasnouskaya were too much for Clemson's No. 29 Eleni Louka/Jenna Thompson (8-3). In the Round of 16, Starodubtseva/Sasnouskaya pulled the upset of the tournament after taking down Oklahoma's No. 1 nationally ranked Ivana Corley/Carmen Corley (9-7).
 
Starodubtseva/Sasnouskaya kept it rolling in the quarterfinals, as ODU's duo defeated No. 15 Alle Sanford/Reilly Tran of North Carolina. In the semifinals, Starodubtseva/Sasnouskaya won in straight sets over Pepperdine's Victoria Flores/Janice Tjen (6-2, 6-3).
 
In the title match, Starodubtseva/Sasnouskaya won the first set against No. 8 Anna Brylin/Brooke Killingsworth of Wake Forest, before dropping sets two and three (6-2, 6-7, 3-10).
 
In singles, No. 36 nationally ranked Starodubtseva won her first two matches to advance to the Round of 16 of the Qualifying Draw, highlighted by a 6-4, 5-7, 7-5 win over Texas Tech's No. 63 Margarita Skriabina.