FLUSHING, N.Y. — D'Youville University women's tennis edged out the No. 3 University of the District of Columbia 4-3 on Friday at the USTA National Tennis Center in the East Coast Conference Semifinal. The Saints clinched the doubles point with victories at the No. 2 and No. 3 positions and secured the win with singles victories at the No. 2, No. 4, and No. 6 positions.
The Saints secured the doubles point decisively in the East Coast Conference Semifinal against UDC.
Erika Ismailova and
Mina Randjelovic delivered a commanding 6-0 victory at No. 2 doubles over Lina Benjelloun and Sofia Shaparenko. Meanwhile,
Maria Campisi and
Yelizaveta Prokopenko were awarded the win by default at No. 3 doubles. The No. 1 doubles match, featuring
Munisa Ashurbekova and
Nele Herbst, concluded with a 3-1 score against Celia Bastin and Polina Zelentsova, but the doubles point had already been clinched.
The Firebirds responded in singles play, winning at No. 1, No. 3, and No. 5 singles. Polina Zelentsova defeated
Munisa Ashurbekova 6-4, 6-4 at No. 1 singles. Lina Benjelloun overcame
Mina Randjelovic 6-4, 6-1 at No. 3 singles, and Nadja Zmukic dispatched Maria Campisi 6-1, 6-1 at No. 5 singles.
DYU maintained its edge with victories in the remaining singles matches. Herbst claimed a tightly contested match at No. 2 singles against Celia Bastin, emerging victorious 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-6(4). Ismailova won at No. 4 singles, defeating Sofia Shaparenko 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(5), while Prokopenko secured the No. 6 singles point by default.
With these results, the Saints advanced with a final dual score of 4-3.
D'Youville will now face No. 1 Queens College in the championship game tomorrow at 5:30 p.m.
