#24 Orange Knock Off #9 Michigan

Saturday, January 26

Oxford, MS

3 pm

Syracuse University

Michigan

1/26/2019 7:30:00 PM | Tennis

Box Score

OXFORD, Miss. - The No. 24th-ranked Syracuse women's tennis team defeated No. 9 Michigan, 4-2, at the ITA Kick-Off Weekend tournament on Saturday, Jan. 26. In their first matchup against a nationally-ranked opponent this season, the Orange claimed the doubles point with ease before winning three singles matches to seal the dual victory.

Syracuse is now 3-0 overall this season.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Orange jumped out to a 1-0 lead by winning the doubles point without trouble. Senior Gabriela Knutson and junior Miranda Ramirez took down Michigan's duo of Kate Fahey and Giulia Pairone, 6-3, before the No. 24th-ranked pair of sophomore Sofya Golubovskaya and freshman Sofya Treshcheva beat Alyvia Jones and Brienne Minor by a score of 6-3.

Michigan, however, evened the score right away in singles play. No. 65 Pairone defeated Syracuse junior Guzal Yusupova by a score of 6-2, 6-3 to tie the match at one.

From there, it was back-and-forth action. No. 43 Knutson moved past No. 3 Fahey in straight sets (7-5, 6-4), picking up a significant win against one of the top singles players in the country.

Syracuse took a 2-1 lead following Knutson's triumph. The Wolverines tied the match up again, though, when No. 27 Minor defeated No. 92 Golubovskaya in a tight two-set battle, winning 6-2, 7-6 (9-7).

With the dual even at 2-2, it was Ramirez who put the Orange ahead for good. She upset No. 36 Chiara Lommer in three sets, moving past her nationally-ranked opponent by a score of 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 to give Syracuse a 3-2 dual lead.

The Orange needed only one more win in singles play to clinch the dual win, and senior Dina Hegab delivered. After losing the first set, Hegab cruised past Michigan's Alyvia Jones in the final two sets and won by a score of 3-6, 6-4, 6-0 to hand the Orange their first big victory of the 2019 season.

OF NOTE
No. 9 Michigan is the Orange's highest-ranked victim since then-No. 3 Georgia Tech lost to Syracuse last season. Then-No.34 Syracuse defeated Georgia Tech, 4-3, on April 1, 2018 at Drumlins Country Club.

UP NEXT
The Orange next play Purdue in the championship at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 27. The Boilermakers (3-0) defeated No. 12 Ole Miss, 4-3, in their first match at the ITA Kick-Off Weekend tournament.

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RESULTS
#24 Syracuse 4, #9 Michigan 2
1. #43 Gabriela Knutson (SU) def. #3 Kate Fahey (MICH) 7-5, 6-4
2. #27 Brienne Minor (MICH) def. #92 Sofya Golubovskaya (SU) 6-2, 7-6 (9-7)
3. Miranda Ramirez (SU) def. #36 Chiara Lommer (MICH) 6-2, 2-6, 6-3
4. #65 Giulia Pairone (MICH) def. Guzal Yusupova (SU) 6-2, 6-3
5. Dina Hegab (SU) def. Alyvia Jones (MICH) 3-6, 6-4, 6-0
6. Anca Craciun (MICH) vs. Sofya Treshcheva (SU) 6-4, 3-6, 5-4, unfinished

1. Gabriela Knutson/Miranda Ramirez (SU) def. Kate Fahey/Giulia Pairone (MICH) 6-3
2. #24 Sofya Golubovskaya/Sofya Treshcheva (SU) def. Alyvia Jones/Brienne Minor (MICH) 6-3
3. Bella Lorenzini/Chiara Lommer (MICH) vs. Guzal Yusupova/Dina Hegab (SU) 3-3, unfinished

Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (4,1,2,3,5)