Syracuse University
Penn State
Syracuse Loses Hard-Fought Match To Penn State, 6-1
2/17/2007 12:17:18 PM | Tennis
State College, Pa.-The Syracue women's tennis team (2-4) lost a tough road match to Penn State (2-4), 6-1, on Friday night. Junior Olga Votavova was able to bounce back from her loss lost week for a victory at No. 1 singles.
The Orange was swept in doubles play and lost five of six singles matches. Votavova dominated Andrea Niculescu at No. 1 singles, 6-0, 6-0. It is the first time an SU singoles player blanked an opponent in straight-sets. Vovtavova rebounded from her loss against Buffalo last week, in which she lost the first set for the first time this season.
Despite not winning another singoles match, the Orange got solid contributions from junior Catherine Zawadzki and sophomore Maria Vasilyeva for the second-consecutive week. Zawadzki lost at No. 3 singles, but took her match to three sets, 4-6, 6-2, 4-6, and Vasilyeva lost in a tightly contested battle, 5-7, 5-7.
In doubles play, injuries forced the Orange to use a different lineup. Senior Carolina Huignard teamed with Zawadzki since her usual partner, senior Ashley Lipton, could not play. The pair lost at No. 2 doubles, 8-5. Freshman Chelsea Jones, who usually plays with Zawadzki, joined with sophomore Anne Magellan, who was making her first ever appearance in doubles, at No. 3.
The Orange takes on West Virginia in its first BIG EAST match on Sunday at 10 a.m. in State College.
