ORLANDO, Fla. - The third-seeded Massachusetts Minutewomen held off a surging sixth-seeded Davidson Wildcats team to earn a spot in the semifinals of the Atlantic 10 Women's Tennis Championship, held at the USTA National Campus. In the final quarterfinal matchup, the second-seeded Fordham Rams dispatched the seventh-seeded Rhode Island Rams to advance. Fordham and Umass will meet for the second time this season.
UMass won a contested doubles point, taking No. 3 doubles first with a 6-3 win by the team of Dylan Cannon and Thamonpan Jonglertrakul and then clinched the point at No. 1 behind a 6-4 victory by Mariya Krasakova and Melisa Senli. The Minutewomen then got two quick, two-set victories at No. 2 and No. 5 singles by Senli (6-2, 6-3) and Jonglertrakul (6-2, 6-4) to take a commanding 3-0 match lead.
But Davidson stormed back and pulled within a point with wins by Daniela Porges, 7-5, 6-2 at No. 3 and Kavya Patel, 2-6, 6-2, 7-5 at No. 4 singles. UMass turned back the rally however with a three-set win by No. 6 Polina Akimova, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 to earn the semifinal bid.
Fordham earned the doubles point with wins at No. 2 doubles and No. 1 doubles, but Rhode Island didn't make it easy with a victory at No. 3. Lindsay Hung and Eleni Fasoula cruised to a 6-0 victory at No. 2, but then Rhody evened the point with Nikki Fernando and Priyanka Shanker's 6-3 victory at No. 3. Fordham took the point with a win by Valeria Deminova and Avery Aude at No. 1, 6-4.
In singles, the Bronx Rams locked in the match victory with two-set wins, in order, at No. 5, No. 1 and No. 6 singles. Calota Casasampere won at No. 5, 6-0, 6-1 and Deminova won 6-2, 6-2 at No. 1. Lorraine Bergmann then clinched the semifinal bid with a 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 6.
MATCH #8
#3 MASSACHUSETTS def. #6 DAVIDSON, 4-2
SINGLES
1. Josie Shaffer (DAV) vs. Danielle Hack (UM) 6-3, 5-7, 3-4, DNF
2. Melisa Senli (UM) def. Emma Heiderscheit (DAV) 6-2, 6-3
3. Daniela Porges (DAV) def. Mariya Krasakova (UM) 7-5, 6-2
4. Kavya Patel (DAV) def. Anna Napadiy (UM) 2-6, 6-2, 7-5
5. Thamonpan Jonglertrakul (UM) def. Savanna Kollock (DAV) 6-2, 6-4
6. Polina Akimova (UM) def. Franny Shea (DAV) 6-3, 3-6, 6-4
Order of Finish: 2, 5, 3, 4, 6
DOUBLES
1. Mariya Krasakova/Melisa Senli (UM) def. Kavya Patel/Daniela Porges (DAV) 6-4
2. Emma Heiderscheit/Franny Shea (DAV) def. Anna Napadiy/Danielle Hack (UM) 6-3
3. Dylan Cannon/Thamonpan Jonglertrakul (UM) def. Josie Schaffer/Savanna Kollock (DAV) 6-3
Order of Finish: 3, 2, 1
MATCH #9
# 2 FORDHAM def. #7 RHODE ISLAND, 4-0
SINGLES
1. Valeria Deminova (FOR) def. Sophie Herrman (URI) 6-2, 6-2
2. Lindsay Hung (FOR) vs. Valentina Cvackova (URI) 6-4, 4-3, DNF
3. Eleni Fasoula (FOR) vs. Nadia Rajan (URI) 7-6(5), 2-1, DNF
4. Nikki Fernando (URI) vs. Avery Aude (FOR) 7-5, 2-5, DNF
5. Calota Casasampere (FOR) def. Paulina Loredo (URI) 6-0, 6-1
6. Lorraine Bergmann (FOR) def. Ava Grnja (URI) 6-3, 6-2
Order of Finish: 5, 1, 6
DOUBLES
1. Valeria Deminova/Avery Aude (FOR) def. Sophie Herrman/Valentina Cvackova (URI) 6-4
2. Lindsay Hung/Eleni Fasoula (FOR) def. Nadia Rajan/Paulina Loredo (URI) 6-0
3. Nikki Fernando/Priyanka Shanker (URI) def. Carlota Casasampere/Rachelle Yang (FOR) 6-3
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1