Spiders Drop 4-3 Match Against A-10 Foe UMass

Wednesday, March 13

Charleston, S.C.

10AM

University of Richmond

UMass

03/13/2019 | Women's Tennis

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The University of Richmond women's tennis team played another 4-3 match this time falling just short against Atlantic 10 rival UMass on Wednesday in Charleston, South Carolina.

"Today was a tough loss but a great match," head coach Mark Wesselink said. "I liked the way we didn't give up and kept fighting. We know what needs to be done before the Atlantic 10 Tournament. We shouldn't have any trouble getting motivated."

The Spiders (5-4) fell behind 1-0 after UMass (9-2) won the doubles point. Junior Kiana Marshall (Bridgetown, Barbados) and sophomore Emily Dunbar (Medina, Ohio) lost at No. 1 doubles to Jovana Bogicevic and Janja Kovacevic, 6-3.

UMass earned the doubles point with a 6-1 win as Ruth Crawford and Jodie Lawrence-Taylor defeated senior Ana Ramirez (Mexico City) and junior Lyndell Giffenig (Salisbury, Conn.) at No. 3 doubles.

At No. 2 doubles, Lea Owens (Olney, Md.) and Dessi Zlateva (Sofia, Bulgaria) were trailing 3-5 before the doubles point was clinched.

In singles action, UMass took a 2-0 lead after Kovacevic earned a win against Dunbar due to a retirement at No. 1 singles leading 6-0, 3-1. Marshall cut the lead to 2-1 after a straight-sets win against Lawrence-Taylor, 6-3, 7-5, at No. 2 singles.

Owens gave the Spiders its second point with a 6-3, 7-6 (3) win against Bocchi at No. 4 singles. UMass made it 3-2 after Crawford won against Zlateva, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3, at No. 3 singles.

At No. 4 singles, freshman Helene Heiberg (Oslo, Norway) tied the match at 3-3 with a tough 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-2 win against Napadiy at No. 5 singles.

In the final match, Ramirez forced a winner-take-all third set but lost to Bogicevic, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-4, at No. 6 singles.

Richmond will finish the trip with a match against Samford at 2 p.m. in Charleston, S.C.

UMass 4, Richmond 3
Singles
No. 1 – Janja Kovacevic (UMass) def. Emily Dunbar, 6-0, 3-1 retired
No. 2 – Kiana Marshall def. Jodie Lawrence-Taylor (UMass), 6-3, 7-5
No. 3 – Ruth Crawford (UMass) def. Dessi Zlateva, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3
No. 4 – Lea Owens def. Martina Bocchi (UMass), 6-3, 7-6 (3)
No. 5 – Helene Heiberg def. Anna Napadiy (UMass), 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-2
No. 6 – Jovana Bogicevic (UMass) def. Ana Ramirez, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-4

Doubles
No. 1 – Bogicevic/Kovacevic def. Dunbar/Marshall, 6-3
No. 2 – Zlateva/Owens vs. Lawrence-Taylor/Napadiy (UMass), 3-5 unfinished
No. 3 – Crawford/Ashley Avery def. Ramirez/Lyndell Giffenig, 6-1

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