Spiders A-10 Championship Run Ends Against VCU

Saturday, April 27

Orlando, FL (USTA National Campus)

3PM

University of Richmond

#1 VCU (A-10 Final)

04/27/2019 | Women's Tennis

ORLANDO, FL. – The University of Richmond women's tennis team lost the doubles point for the first time in three matches and lost three singles matches to end a fantastic run to the Atlantic 10 Championship match falling 4-0 against VCU Saturday at the USTA National Campus.

The Spiders lost the doubles point after dropping two of three doubles matches. Junior Kiana Marshall (Bridgetown, Barbados) and sophomore Emily Dunbar (Medina, Ohio) won a close 6-4 match against Anna Rasmussen and Noumea Witmus at No. 1 doubles.

At No. 3 doubles, junior Lyndell Giffenig (Salisbury, Conn.) and sophomore Adrienne Haynes (Asheville, N.C.) fell short 6-3 against Marina Alcaide Bakkari and Sofia Sualehe.

In the deciding doubles match, Dessi Zlateva (Sofia, Bulgaria) and Lea Owens (Olney, Md.) were down 5-4 but couldn't tie the match falling 6-4 against Paola Exposito Diaz Delgado and Melissa Ifidzhen at No. 2 doubles.

In singles, VCU started fast winning first sets on all six courts. Kanako Yano defeated Owens 6-3, 6-0 at No. 4 singles. At No. 1 singles, Diaz-Delgado won in straight sets against Dunbar, 6-2, 6-1.

VCU clinched the victory after Ifidzhen earned a 6-2, 6-1 win against senior Ana Ramirez (Mexico City, Mexico), 6-2, 6-1 at No. 6 singles.

Three matches went unfinished as freshman Helene Heiberg (Oslo, Norway) was down against Witmus 6-3, 4-1 at No. 5 singles. Zlateva was trailing 6-1, 5-1 against Alcaide at No. 3 singles and Marshall was down in the second set 6-3, 2-1 against Rasmussen at No. 2 singles.

Richmond finishes the 2019 campaign with a 10-10 record, including a great run to the A-10 championship after winning three matches in three days as the No. 6 seed. It was the first finals appearance for Richmond since 2012.

No 1 VCU 4, No. 6 Richmond 0
SINGLES
1. Paola Exposito Diaz-Delgado (VCU) def. Emily Dunbar, 6-2, 6-1
2. Kiana Marshall (UR) vs. Anna Rasmussen (VCU), 3-6, 1-2 DNF
3. Marina Alcaide Bakkari (VCU) vs. Dessi Zlateva (UR), 6-1, 5-1 DNF
4. Kanako Yano (VCU) def. Lea Owens (UR), 6-3, 6-0
5. Noumea Witmus (VCU) vs. Helene Heiberg (UR), 6-3, 4-1 DNF
6. Melissa Ifidzhen (VCU) def. Ana Ramirez (UR), 6-2, 6-1
Order of Finish: 4, 1, 6

DOUBLES
1. Emily Dunbar/Kiana Marshall (UR) def. Anna Rasmussen/Noumea Witmus (VCU), 6-4
2. Paola Exposito Diaz-Delgado/Melissa Ifidzhen (VCU) def. Dessi Zlateva/Lea Owens (UR), 6-4
3. Marina Alcaide Bakkari/Sofia Sualehe (VCU) def. Adrienne Haynes/Lyndell Giffenig (UR), 6-3
Order of Finish: 1, 2, 3