ORLANDO - The sixth-seeded Richmond Spiders swept the eleventh-seeded Dayton Flyers, 4-0, in the opening round of the Atlantic 10 Conference Women's Tennis Championship, held at USTA's National Campus. With the victory, the Spiders will face No. 3 Massachusetts in the quarterfinals on Thursday.
The Spiders got off to a strong start with the top two pairs earning victories. First, Emily Dunbar and Kiana Marshall took down Emily Zargham and Kelly Pleiman at No. 1 doubles, 6-1, before Dessi Zlateva and Lea Owens defeated Mattea Kilstofte and Natalie Allen by the same score.
Richmond earned first-set victories on each of the six courts, including a battle between Marshall and Zargham at No. 2 singles. Marshall would take the set in a 7-6(4) tiebreaker. Dunbar recorded the first point for the Spiders as UD's Kilstofte was forced to retire in the second set.
Owens made quick work at No. 4 singles, dropping just a single set, before Ana Ramirez clinched the 4-0 victory at No. 6 singles with a straight-set victory over Kristina Benjamin.
The Spiders will face the Minutewomen on Thursday at 6 pm in the quarterfinals.
MATCH #5
#6 RICHMOND def. #11 DAYTON, 4-0
SINGLES
1. Emily Dunbar (UR) def. Mattea Kilstofte (UD) 6-0, 3-0, ret.
2. Kiana Marshall (UR) vs. Emily Zargham (UD) 7-6, 1-1, DNF
3. Dessi Zlateva (UR) vs. Kelly Pleiman (UD) 6-3, 5-0, DNF
4. Lea Owens (UR) def. Mary Brascia (UD) 6-1, 6-0
5. Helene Heiberg (UR) vs. Natalie Allen (UD) 6-1, 4-2, DNF
6. Ana Ramirez (UR) def. Kristina Benjamin (UD) 6-2, 6-2
Order of Finish: 1, 4, 6
DOUBLES
1. Emily Dunbar/Kiana Marshall (UR) def. Emily Zargham/Kelly Pleiman (UD) 6-1
2. Dessi Zlateva/Lea Owens (UR) def. Mattea Kilstofte/Natalie Allen (UD) 6-1
3. Lyndell Giffenig/Adrienne Haynes (UR) vs. Mary Brascia/Kristina Benjamin (UD) 4-3, DNF
Order of Finish: 1, 2
ORLANDO - The seventh-seeded Fordham Rams earned a spot in the Atlantic 10 Conference Women's Tennis quarterfinals with a 4-0 victory over No. 10 George Mason on Wednesday at the USTA National Campus.
Fordham's No. 3 doubles pair of Nicole Li and Genevieve Quenville struck first, recording a 6-0 victory against Hannah Yang and Rachel Lee. The Ram's top pair of Arina Taluyenko and Tatiana Grigoryan clinched the doubles point for Fordham with a 6-2 victory.
In singles play, Taluyenko took straight sets from Sydney Green and Maia Balce defeated Brianna Gibbs, 6-1, 6-3.
Clinching the match for the Rams was Alexis Zobeideh at No. 6 singles, who dropped just two sets in a 6-1, 6-1 victory. The Rams will take on No. 2 George Washington on Thursday at 3 pm. The Colonials earned a bye into the quarterfinals.
MATCH #6
#7 FORDHAM def. #10 GEORGE MASON, 4-0
SINGLES
1. Arina Taluyenko (FOR) def. Sydney Green (MASON) 6-1, 6-2
2. Maia Balce (FOR) def. Brianna Gibbs (MASON) 6-1, 6-3
3. Tatiana Grigoryan (FOR) vs. Hannah Yang (MASON) 6-4, 2-3, DNF
4. Genevieve Quenville (FOR) vs. Hannah Harrod (MASON) 7-5, 1-0, DNF
5. Nicole Li (FOR) vs. Jackie Nannery (MASON) 7-5, 3-0, DNF
6. Alexis Zobeideh (FOR) def. Christine McCarthy (MASON) 6-1, 6-1
Order of Finish: 1, 2, 6
DOUBLES
1. Arina Taluyenko/Tatiana Grigoryan (FOR) def. Sydney Green/Brianna Gibbs (MASON) 6-2
2. Maia Balce/Alexis Zobeideh (FOR) vs. Hannah Harrod/Jackie Nannery (MASON) 4-3, DNF
3. Nicole Li/Genevieve Quenville (FOR) def. Hannah Yang/Rachel Lee (MASON) 6-0
Order of Finish: 3, 1