ORLANDO, Fla. – The seventh-seeded Rhode Island Rams survived a comeback-minded No. 10 Duquesne team, while the sixth-seeded Davidson Wildcats dispatched the No. 11 Dayton Flyers, 4-0 on Thursday to earn spots in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic 10 Conference Women's Tennis Championship at USTA's National Campus.
MATCH #4
#7 RHODE ISLAND def. #10 DUQUESNE, 4-2
Bolstered by a victory in a tight doubles competition, seventh-seeded Rhode Island fought off a competitive No. 10 Duquesne to advance to the A-10 quarterfinals. The Rams initially fell behind in doubles play, as Jasa Roka and Anastasiia Kotsyuba combined to win on court No. 2, 6-1, for the Dukes; a rally led by Sophie Herrman and Valentina Cvackova on the top court evened the score before Nikki Fernando and Priyanka Shanker edged out Duquesne's Ana Benito and Ellen Shanahan, 7-6 (7), to clinch the point. In singles action, Fernando and Herrman helped the Rams extend their lead with wins on the fourth and first courts, respectively, but Kotsyuba and Daniela Latoni picked up the first wins for the Dukes at the sixth and second flights, cutting the lead to a 3-2 edge. Paulina Loredo secured the eventual Rhody victory on court No. 5, winning 7-5, 6-2.
SINGLES
1. Sophie Herrman (URI) def. Margot Pessy (DUQ) 6-1, 6-2
2. Daniela Latoni (DUQ) def. Valentina Cvackova (URI) 6-2, 7-6(3)
3. Nadia Rajan (URI) vs. Jasa Roka (DUQ) 6-3, 2-6, 4-2, DNF
4. Nikki Fernando (URI) def. Natasha Novak (DUQ) 6-1, 6-0
5. Paulina Loredo (URI) def. Ellen Shanahan (DUQ) 7-5, 6-2
6. Anastasiia Kotsyuba (DUQ) Ava Grnja (URI) 6-4, 6-4
Order of Finish: 4, 1, 6, 2, 5
DOUBLES
1. Sophie Herrman/Valentina Cvackova (URI) def. Margot Pessy/Daniela Latoni (DUQ) 6-2
2. Jasa Roka/Anastasiia Kotsyuba (DUQ) def. Nadia Rajan/Paulina Loredo (URI) 6-1
3. Nikki Fernando/Priyanka Shanker (URI) def. Ana Benito/Ellen Shanahan (DUQ) 7-6(7)
Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3
MATCH #5
#6 DAVIDSON def. #11 DAYTON, 4-0
The sixth-seeded Wildcats picked up an opening round victory behind a doubles point win as well as quick work from their lower flights, resulting in a clean 4-0 sweep. Josie Schaffer and Savanna Kollock partnered up on courth three for a 6-1 win before the No. 1 position of Kavya Patel and Daniela Porges clinched the doubles point with a 6-2 victory of their own. In singles play, Kollock surged ahead for a 6-0, 6-1 win on court No. 5 to help maintain the Davidson momentum, setting up Franny Shea (court six) and Patel (court four) to close out the victory with 6-0, 6-2 and 6-1, 6-3 wins, respectively.
SINGLES
1. Josie Shaffer (DAV) vs. Natalie Osiecki (UD) 6-2, 5-3, DNF
2. Neena Katauskas (UD) vs. Emma Heiderscheit (DAV) 6-4, 5-0, DNF
3. Daniela Porges (DAV) vs. Elizabeth Hamilton (UD) 6-3, 4-1, DNF
4. Kavya Patel (DAV) def. Laura Greb (UD) 6-1, 6-3
5. Savanna Kollock (DAV) def. Erica Wojcikiewicz (UD) 6-0, 6-1
6. Franny Shea (DAV) def. Jordan Mitchell (UD) 6-0, 6-2
Order of Finish: 5, 6, 4
DOUBLES
1. Kavya Patel/Daniela Porges (DAV) def. Natalie Osiecki/Neena Katauskas (UD) 6-2
2. Elizabeth Hamilton/Laura Greb (UD) vs. Emma Heiderscheit/Franny Shea (DAV) 4-2, DNF
3. Josie Schaffer/Savanna Kollock (DAV) def. Erica Wojcikiewicz/Jordan Mitchell (UD) 6-1
Order of Finish: 3, 1