Spiders Fall Short against Crosstown rival VCU, 5-2

Thursday, March 25

Westhampton Courts

2:30PM

University of Richmond

VCU

03/25/2021 | Women's Tennis

RICHMOND, Va. – The University of Richmond women's tennis team lost the doubles point and tried to rally in singles but fell short 5-2 against VCU Thursday at the Westhampton Tennis Courts. The match also had a 35-minute rain delay in singles play.

"This was an impressive effort by the upperclassmen," head coach Mark Wesselink said. "Dessi is playing her best tennis and won at No. 2 in straight sets. Adrienne battled and her tenacity won the match at No. 6 Emily played a top-100 nationally ranked player and almost turned it around before losing the 2nd set, 7-5. We know what it will take to win A 10's now. It's up to us to do the work."

The Spiders (2-3, 1-1 A-10) dropped all three doubles matches to fall behind 1-0. Junior Helene Heiberg (Oslo, Norway and senior Adrienne Haynes (Asheville, N.C.) lost 6-2 against Alessia Ciuca and Shivani Manjanna at No. 3 doubles.

The Rams clinched the doubles point at No. 2 doubles as sophomore Andrea Campodonico (Asuncion, Paraguay) and freshman Sara Salemyr (Stockholm, Sweden) fell to Paola Diaz Delgado and Noumea Whitmus, 6-3. Salemyr and Campodonico held a 3-2 lead but fell short against VCU.

In the final doubles match, graduate student Dessi Zlateva (Sofia, Bulgaria) and senior Emily Dunbar (Medina, Ohio) lost to Luminita Tutunaru and Gabriela Davidescu, 6-3, at No. 1 doubles.

In singles, Davidescu won in straight sets against Salemyr, 6-0, 6-3 at No. 4 singles. Witmus gave VCU a 3-0 lead after winning 6-2, 6-2 at No. 5 singles against freshman Carly Cohen (Pepper Pike, Ohio).

At No. 3 singles, Ciuca won in straight sets against Campodonico, 6-4, 6-3 to clinch the win. Zlateva earned a 6-3, 6-2 win against Luminita Tutunaru at No. 2 singles. Diaz Delgado won in straight sets against Dunbar, 6-0, 7-5 at No. 1 singles.

In the last singles match, Haynes won the first set, 6-4 against Manianna at No. 6 singles. In the second set, Manianna forced a third set winning 6-4. In the third set super tiebreaker, Haynes took control by winning the first four points and won the 10-point tiebreaker, 10-6.

Richmond will host A-10 foe George Washington on Saturday, March 27 at 2 p.m. at the Westhampton Tennis Courts.

VCU 5, Richmond 2
Singles
No. 1 – Paola Diaz Delgado (VCU) def. Emily Dunbar (UR), 6-0, 7-5
No. 2 – Dessi Zlateva (UR) def. Luminita Tutunaru (VCU), 6-3, 6-2
No. 3 – Alessia Ciuca (VCU) def. Andrea Campodonico (UR), 6-4, 6-3
No. 4 – Gabriela Davidescu (VCU) def. Sara Salemyr (UR), 6-0, 6-3
No. 5 – Noumea Witmus (VCU) def. Carly Cohen (UR), 6-2, 6-2
No. 6 – Adrienne Haynes (UR) def. Shivani Manjanna (VCU), 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (10-6)
Order of Finish: 4,5,3,2,1,6

Doubles
No. 1 – Luminita Tutunaru/Gabriela Davidescu (VCU) def. Emily Dunbar/Dessi Zlateva (UR), 6-3
No. 2 – Paola Diaz Delgado/Noumea Witmus (VCU) def. Sara Salemyr/Andrea Campodonico (UR), 6-3
No. 3 – Alessia Ciuca/Shivani Manjanna (VCU) def. Helene Heiberg/Adrienne Haynes (UR), 6-2
Order of Finish: 3,2,1

-UR-