MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – In their final Conference USA Women's Tennis Championship appearance, the 33rd-ranked Old Dominion Monarchs scored a dramatic 4-3 win over 51st-ranked Charlotte to capture its second straight title on Sunday afternoon.
With the win, ODU (20-6) earned the automatic bid to the NCAA Championships. They'll find out their location and opponent on May 2 on a 6:30 p.m. selection show through NCAA.com.
The win gives the women's tennis program its third conference crown in the 2000s, winning in 2001 in the CAA and last year. This will be their fourth NCAA appearance in the 2000s as they earned an at-large bid in 2019. The win also gives the program its second 20-win season in school history and the first under head coach Dominic Manilla.
Marina Alcaide got the clinching point for the Monarchs on the strength of a three-set win at number three singles. She won the opening set 6-2 but lost 1-6 in the second, before storming back for a 6-2 win in the third set over Rocio Safront.
In doubles, the 49ers took the team point with wins at the two and three spots. ODU recorded a win at number one with the 10th-ranked duo of Yuliia Starodubtseva and Tatsiana Sasnouskaya knocking off their second nationally-ranked opponents in the last two days with a 6-1 win over the 29th-ranked tandem of Margaux Maquet and Lucia Quiterio.
Starodubtseva got the Monarchs on the board with the first singles win scoring a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Maquet to even the match. Charlotte responded with a win at number four before the Monarchs swung momentum back to their side with a pair of wins at the five and six spots. Alesya Yakubovich recorded a 6-1, 6-1 win over Emma Wilkins at number five, while Shahar Biran bounced back after dropping the opening set to take a 4-6, 6-0, 6-2 win over Lucie Petruzelova for a 3-2 ODU advantage.
Charlotte leveled the match at three-all with a win at number two singles to set up Alcaide's deciding win.
The victory was the ninth in a row for the Monarchs who now await the start of the NCAA Tournament on May 6.
ODU HEAD COACH DOMINIC MANILLA ON C-USA CHAMPIONSHIP
"I'm just so proud of this group. It's been a team effort all year long and all hands were on deck today. We fought off a tough start and stayed the course. Coach (Yana) Sokolenko and I are just so proud that we are bringing the trophy home to Virginia and Old Dominion University."
#33 ODU 4, #51 Charlotte 3
Singles
1. #17 Yuliia Starodubtseva (ODU) def. Margaux Maquet (CLT) 6-1, 6-2
2. Ruxi Schech (CLT) def. #123 Tatsiana Sasnouskaya (ODU) 7-6 (7-5), 6-3
3. Marina Alcaide (ODU) def. Rocio Safont (CLT) 6-2, 1-6, 6-2
4. Lucia Quiterio (CLT) def. Sofia Johnson (ODU) 6-1, 6-3
5. Alesya Yakubovich (ODU) def. Emma Wilkins (CLT) 6-1, 6-1
6. Shahar Biran (ODU) def. Lucie Petruzelova (CLT) 4-6, 6-0, 6-2
Doubles
1. #10 Yuliia Starodubtseva/Tatsiana Sasnouskaya (ODU) def. #29 Margaux Maquet/Lucia Quiterio (CLT) 6-1
2. Kaavya Sawhney/Ruxi Schech (CLT) def. Alesya Yakubovich/Shahar Biran (ODU) 6-4
3. Rocio Safont/Lucie Petruzelova (CLT) def. AlexandraViktorovich/Sofia Johnson (ODU) 6-4
Match Notes:
3-seed Charlotte 19-7; National ranking #51
1-seed Old Dominion 20-6; National ranking #33
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (1,4,5,6,2,3)
2022 Conference USA Women's Tennis Championship - Finals
Women's Tennis Takes Second Straight C-USA Title With 4-3 Win Over Charlotte
