CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The Old Dominion women’s tennis team began its fall season this past weekend competing in the Kitty Harrison Invitational hosted by North Carolina. ODU faced three teams that finished 2023 nationally ranked in Florida (14th), Virginia (8th) and Duke (23rd) and had a solid opening event.
“We had a good start to the fall season this past weekend at a strong event. Sophia Johnson had a pair of wins over ranked opponents from Florida and Virginia, while Lidiia Rasskouskaia had a ranked win over Duke on Sunday. On the weekend we had eight wins against three top 20 ranked schools,” said ODU Associate Head Coach Yana Sokolenko.
On Friday, they faced the Florida Gators and after losing the doubles matches, ODU took three of five contested singles encounters. Sofia Johnson opened with a win over 61st-ranked Qavia Lopez 6-2, 6-3, while Allison Isaacs and Victoria Matasova each won three-set matches at the four and five spots. Isaacs dropped the first set to Nikola Daubnerova but rallied to win 1-6, 6-3, 1-0 (11-9), while Matasova also dropped her first set to Noemi Oliveras but took a 2-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-6) win.
Saturday saw the Monarchs take on Virginia and followed the same suit as Friday in losing the doubles matches but taking three of six singles. Johnson defeated 74th ranked Elaine Chervinsky 6-3, 6-3 at number one, while Lidiia Rasskouskaia won 6-2, 6-4 over Martina Genis Salas at line three. Matasova won her second match of the year at line six with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Nicole Kiefer.
On Sunday, the Monarchs faced Duke and took a win at number two singles as Rasskouskaia knocked off 49th-ranked Katie Codd 6-2, 6-1. In doubles, Matasova and Kira Matushkina defeated Codd and Ava Krug 7-6 (7-0) at number three.
The Monarchs will next see action starting Saturday, Sept. 21 at the ITA All-American Championships in Cary, N.C.
Kitty Harrison Invitational
Chapel Hill, N.C.
Friday vs. Florida
Doubles
Alicia Dudeney/Bente Spree (F) def. #77 Sofia Johnson/Lidiia Rasskouskaia 6-4
#66 Talia Nielson-Gatenby/Qavia Lopez (F) def. Victoria Matasova/Ulyana Romanova 6-2
Nikola Daubnerova/Noemi Oliveras (F) def. Allison Isaacs/Mya Byrd 6-1
Singles
#37 Sofia Johnson (ODU) def. #61 Qavia Lopez 6-2, 6-3
#103 Alicia Dudeney (F) def. #115 Kira Matushkina 6-3, 6-3
#122 Talia Nielson-Gatenby (F) def. Lidiia Rasskouskaia 6-1, 7-6 (4)
Allison Isaacs (ODU) def. Nikola Daubnerova 1-6, 6-3, 11-9
Victoria Matasova (ODU) def. Noemi Oliveras 2-6, 6-4, 10-6
Saturday vs. Virginia
Doubles
#3 Elaine Chervinsky / Melodie Collard (V) def. #77 Sofia Johnson/Lidiia Rasskouskaia 6-1
Meggie Navarro / Zara Larke (V) def. Victoria Matasova/Kira Matushkina 6-2
#30 Annabelle Xu / Martina Genis Salas (V) def. Allison Isaacs/Ulyana Romanova 7-6 (3)
Singles
#37 Sofia Johnson (ODU) def. #74 Elaine Chervinsky 6-3, 6-3
#91 Melodie Collard (V) def. #115 Kira Matushkina 7-6 (4), 6-4
Lidiia Rasskouskaia (ODU) def. Martina Genis Salas 6-2, 6-4
Zara Larke (V) def. Allison Isaacs 7-6 (1), 7-6 (4)
Blanca Pico Navarro (V) def. Ulyana Romanova 6-1, 7-5
Victoria Matasova (ODU) def. Nicole Kiefer 6-4, 6-2
Sunday vs. Duke
Doubles
Ellie Coleman / Emma Jackson (D) def. #77 Sofia Johnson/Lidiia Rasskouskaia 7-5
Shavit Kimchi / Eleana Yu (D) def. Allison Isaacs/Ulyana Romanova 7-5
Victoria Matasova/Kira Matushkina (ODU) def. Katie Codd / Ava Krug 7-6 (0)
Singles
#73 Eleana Yu (D) def. #37 Sofia Johnson 7-5, 3-6, 1-0 (5)
Lidiia Rasskouskaia (ODU) def. #49 Katie Codd 6-2, 6-1
#41 Emma Jackson (D) def. Allison Isaacs 6-1, 6-1
#53 Ellie Coleman (D) def. Victoria Matasova 6-1, 6-0
Ava Krug (D) def. Ulyana Romanova 6-1, 6-0