Women's Tennis Drops Hard Fought 4-3 Decision To Kansas

NORFOLK, Va. – The 17th-ranked Kansas Jayhawks pulled out a pair of three-set wins to rally and defeat 22nd-ranked Old Dominion 4-3 in a women's tennis match on Sunday inside at the Folkes-Stevens Tennis Center.
 
In doubles, the Jayhawks scored the team point with wins at the one and three spots. ODU evened doubles with a 6-3 win at line two by Alesya Yakubovich and Shahar Biran.
 
Singles saw ODU take a 2-1 advantage as Alexandra Viktorovitch started with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Tamari Gagoshidze at line four. Immediately after that win Biran recorded a 6-2, 6-2 win over Maria Titova at line two for the 2-1 lead.
 
Kansas evened the match with a win at line five, but in a battle of top 45 ranked players, 19th-ranked Tatsiana Sasnouskaya rallied after dropping the first set for a 3-6, 6-1, 7-5 win over 41st-ranked Malika Ngounoue to put ODU up 3-2.
 
From there, the Jayhawks took wins at the three and six spots to pull out the win.

"A valiant effort by this group today. I was inspired at all positions at the grit we showed. A solid team performance. I'm excited to kick off our conference schedule," said ODU Head Coach Dominic Manilla.

ODU (5-4) opens Sun Belt Conference play on Friday at Louisiana and then on Sunday at Texas State.
 
#17 Kansas 4, #22 Old Dominion 3
Singles competition
1. #19 Tatsiana Sasnouskaya (ODU-W) def. #41 Ngounoue, Malkia (KU23) 3-6, 6-1, 7-5
2. Shahar Biran (ODU-W) def. Titova, Maria (KU23) 6-2, 6-2
3. Manu, Carmen Roxana (KU23) def. Alesya Yakubovich (ODU-W) 6-4, 6-7 (7-9), 6-3
4. Alexandra Viktorovich (ODU-W) def. Gagoshidze, Tamari (KU23) 6-3, 6-2
5. VanVuuren,Jensen Heike (KU23) def. Allison Isaacs (ODU-W) 7-6 (7-5), 6-3
6. Manyoma-Velasquez, M (KU23) def. Mya Byrd (ODU-W) 6-2, 4-6, 7-5
Doubles competition
1. VanVuuren,Jensen Heike/Ngounoue, Malkia (KU23) def. Alexandra Viktorovich/Allison Isaacs (ODU-W) 6-2
2. Alesya Yakubovich/Shahar Biran (ODU-W) def. Gagoshidze, Tamari/Costache, Silvia M (KU23) 6-3
3. Massey, Jocelyn/Manu, Carmen Roxana (KU23) def. Mya Byrd/Tatsiana Sasnouskaya (ODU-W) 7-6
Match Notes:
University of Kansas 9-1; National ranking #17
Old Dominion 5-4; National ranking #22
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (4,2,5,1,6,3)