PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. – The top-seeded and 33rd-ranked Old Dominion women's tennis team advanced to its first Sun Belt Conference and fourth straight league championship match on Saturday with a 4-0 win over fifth-seeded Georgia Southern at the Peachtree City Tennis Center.
"We came out today like yesterday: engaged and very focused. That's exactly where we want to be at this stage of a big tournament. I like the way we executed today and thought we looked great," said ODU Head Coach Dominic Manilla.
The doubles point was earned by wins at the one and three spots on the lineup. Shahar Biran and Alesya Yakubovich put ODU halfway there with a 6-2 win at line three. Tatsiana Sasounskaya and Sofia Johnson, ranked 40th nationally, finished the point at line one with a win by the same 6-2 count.
Singles saw ODU (17-4) get wins at the one, four and five slots to lock up the championship bid. Sasnouskaya opened at one with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Silvia Martinez, which was quickly followed by Alexandra Viktorovitch with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Paula Hijos at line five for a 3-0 ODU lead.
Yakubovich finished her second clinching point of the match with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Ninon Martinache at line four for the final point. ODU had won first sets in each of the three unfinished matches and were up in the second of two of those.
ODU will now face either second-seeded James Madison or sixth-seeded Marshall on Sunday at 1 p.m. for the Sun Belt Conference title. The Monarchs made their last three Conference USA finals, winning the last two, and now go for their third straight conference title.
Tennis Match Results
Georgia Southern vs Old Dominion
4/29/2023 at Peachtree City, Ga.
(Peachtree City Tennis Center)
#33 Old Dominion 4, Georgia Southern 0
Singles competition
1. #35 Tatsiana Sasnouskaya (ODU-W) def. Silvia Martinez (GS) 6-3, 6-0
2. Sofia Johnson (ODU-W) vs. Ana Tsitavets (GS) 6-4, 3-2, unfinished
3. Shahar Biran (ODU-W) vs. Nanaka Kijima (GS) 6-3, 4-2, unfinished
4. Alesya Yakubovich (ODU-W) def. Ninon Martinache (GS) 6-2, 6-2
5. AlexandraViktorovich (ODU-W) def. Paula Hijos (GS) 6-1, 6-1
6. Allison Isaacs (ODU-W) vs. Sonja Keranen (GS) 6-4, 1-2, unfinished
Doubles competition
1. #40 Sofia Johnson/Tatsiana Sasnouskaya (ODU-W) def. Silvia Martinez/Liv Ryan (GS) 6-2
2. Allison Isaacs/AlexandraViktorovich (ODU-W) vs. Sonja Keranen/Ana Tsitavets (GS) 3-5, unfinished
3. Shahar Biran/Alesya Yakubovich (ODU-W) def. Nanaka Kijima/Ninon Martinache (GS) 6-2
Match Notes:
Georgia Southern 19-6
Old Dominion 17-4; National ranking #33
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (1,5,4)
Sun Belt Conference Semifinals
ODU faces JMU-Marshall winner Sunday at 1pm
Women's Tennis Blanks Georgia Southern To Advance To Sun Belt Final
Alesya Yakubovich