Women's Tennis Hosts First Home Weekend Starting Saturday

ODU (1-2) vs. Wake Forest (1-3) | vs. Penn State (0-3)
Where: Folkes-Stevens Tennis Center
When: Saturday, Feb. 3 – 10 a.m. | Sunday, Feb. 4 – 1 p.m.
Live Stats: Wake Forest | Penn State
Live Stream: Wake Forest | Penn State
 
NORFOLK, Va. – Coming off a second-place finish in the Iowa State Regional of the ITA Kickoff Weekend Tournament last weekend, the Old Dominion women's tennis team plays their first home matches of the 2024 season this weekend hosting Wake Forest on Saturday and Penn State on Sunday.
 
The Wake Forest match will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday, while the Penn State match will be at 1 p.m. on Sunday inside the Folkes-Stevens Tennis Center.
 
Sunday's match will serve as Darryl Cummings Day as there will be a special presentation honoring the former head coach of the ODU tennis programs prior to the match.
 
Last year, ODU defeated Wake Forest twice winning an ITA Regional match 4-3 at Ohio State on January 28, 2023. A week later, ODU defeated the Demon Deacons 5-2 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on February 5.
 
"Wake Forest is a top-notch program. It's been a fruitful relationship for both programs to be on each other's out of conference schedules for a few seasons now," said ODU Head Coach Dominic Manilla. "I look forward to welcoming them to ODU and a great battle." 
 
The Monarchs have won the last three meetings against Penn State taking a 5-2 win to open the 2023 season on January 15 in State College, Pennsylvania.
 
"It's been different this season with out Darryl. Whether it's his promoting of ODU tennis through social media or a mentoring phone call with either program," said Manilla. "Penn State is a tough Big 10 opponent that shares the same colors as ODU and a Lion for a mascot. Can't wait for the battles this weekend."
 
Old Dominion (1-2) competed last in the ITA Kickoff Weekend Tournament and came away 1-1 in the regional at Iowa State. They opened with the host Cyclones and knocked them off with a 4-0 win. In doubles, Sofia Johnson and Lidiia Rasskouskaia took a 7-6 (7-4) win at No. 1 to clinch the team point. 
 
Singles saw the Monarchs start with a win at No. 6 as Ulyana Romanova won by forfeit for a 2-0 lead. Johnson followed up with a 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 1 over Kuearum to push the advantage to 3-0. Rasskouskaia finished off the win with a 6-4, 6-4 victory at No. 5 over Valeska San Martin. On Sunday, they dropped a 4-0 decision in the regional final to third-ranked Oklahoma State.
 
So far this spring, Johnson is 2-0 in singles at No. 1 and Rasskouskaia is 2-0 at No. 5. Doubles has the tandem of Johnson and Rasskouskaia 2-1 at No. 1 through three matches.
 
Wake Forest (1-3) competed in an ITA Kickoff Weekend Regional hosted by Florida where they fell to 20th-ranked San Diego 4-0 and then 4-2 to FIU.  In spring matches, Sankavi Gownder leads the team with a 2-0 mark, while Whitley Pate is 1-0 at No. 4. Those two are 2-2 in the spring at No. 3, while Brooke Killingsworth and Marcella Cruz are 2-1 at No. 1.
 
Penn State (0-3) has dropped matches to Kentucky (4-1), Columbia (6-1) and Penn (6-1) to start the season. They'll host Saint Francis on Friday before heading to ODU. 
 
In singles this spring, Sofiya Chekhylstova and Karly Friedland each have a win. Doubles has Friedland and Olivia Dorner 2-1 at No. 1 through three matches.
 
ODU will hit the road next week back to Ames, Iowa for a rematch with Iowa State at 11 a.m. EST.