Tennis falls to Monarchs, downs Mountaineers and Panthers

After a tough home loss to Old Dominion University early in the week, women’s tennis bounced back to win consecutive road matches against West Virginia University and the University of Pittsburgh, moving them to 4-2 on the young season.

West Virginia

The Rams won their second consecutive road match Sunday afternoon by a final of 4-2.

The Black and Gold got off to a quick start against the Mountaineers. Junior Anna Rasmussen and freshman Melissa Ifidzhen continued their string of great play in doubles competition, winning the match 6-0. Rasmussen and Ifidzhen lead the Rams in doubles’ wins on the season with eight.

Freshmen Marina Alcaide and Sofia Sualehe clinched a doubles point for the Rams, giving VCU an early 1-0 lead. Rasmussen and freshmen Paola Delgado extended the Rams’ lead 3-0, giving the Black and Gold a commanding lead. However, the Mountaineer staged a comeback, bringing the lead 3-2.

Sophomore Noumea Witmus was the hero on the day. After a tough tie-breaker in the first set, the underclassmen dominated the second, winning 6-0, and clinched a road win for the Rams.

Pittsburgh

The Rams won by a score of 4-2 on the road against Pittsburgh on Saturday.

The Rams bounced back after a tough loss to ODU at home on Tuesday. This was a tough battle for the Rams in their first away match of the dual season.

Rasmussen and Ifidzhen got another double’s victory Saturday. It was a tough match as they were able to edge Pittsburgh’s Luisa Varon and Claudia Bartolome 6-4, adding to their team-leading seventh doubles victory.

Sualehe and sophomore Kanako Yano secured the doubles point for the Rams by winning in convincing fashion, 6-1. Freshman Paola Exposito Diaz Delgado and Rasmussen extended the lead to 3-1.

Delgado won in straight sets, outlasting a tiebreak in the first. Rasmussen overcame a tiebreak in the second set to win in straight sets. Witmus sealed the victory for the Rams by winning a three-set nailbiter, 7-5,3-6, 6-3.

ODU

The Monarchs downed VCU in a non-conference matchup.

After a dominant performance against Campbell College, the Rams were unable to get a point on the board Tuesday. ODU won two out of the three doubles matches and never looked back.

Rasmussen and Ifidzgen came away with a win in doubles’ competition, tallying their team-best sixth doubles victory of the season. In singles, Rasmussen won the first set on court one. The score was knotted at five in the second set before the match was called. The Monarchs won in straight sets on court two, court three and court five to close out the match.  

The Rams will look to carry the momentum from the two road victories as they host Temple University Saturday, Feb. 10.

Rodney Robinson, contributing writer