Women’s Tennis Edges Out East Carolina, 4-3

Friday, January 29

Legacy Tennis Center

8:00 a.m.

Temple University

East Carolina

Photo by: Donald Otto

Women’s Tennis Edges Out East Carolina, 4-3

1.29.16 | Women's Tennis

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA – To kick off the spring season, the Temple women's tennis team defeated conference opponent East Carolina, 4-3.

"It was a great win today against a strong conference opponent. I'm really happy with the way the girls came out today in doubles," said head coach Steve Mauro. "In singles, there were really strong performances by Alina Abdurakhimova, Yana Khon and Dina Karina. It was a great way to get the spring seasons started and I'm happy with the way the girls played."

To start doubles, Abdurakhimova and Anais Nussaume took a 6-4 loss at the first flight against East Carolina's Nicole DeLuca and Celia Ruiz. The Owls then won their next two doubles matches, Khon and Minami Okajima defeated Katie Hoch and Maria Storozheva, 6-3 at the third flight and Karina and Mariana Bedon clinched the doubles point with a 7-5 win at the second flight over Michelle Castro and Annija Veinsteina.

Singles play began a back and forth battle between the Owls and the Pirates. East Carolina tied things up at 1-1 at the start of singles play, as Ruiz defeated Nussuame, 6-4, 6-2 at the second flight. Abdurakhimova picked up a 6-4, 6-3 win at the first flight over DeLuca, but the Pirates' Sarah Sarjoo tied everything back up again after defeating Bedon 6-1, 1-6, 6-1 at the sixth flight.

East Carolina's Castro would give the Pirates a 3-2 advantage over the Owls, after defeating Okajima, 6-4, 7-5 at the third flight. The Owls would come back to take the victory with help from a 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 win from Karina at the fifth flight and a 6-7 (9), 6-1, 6-2 fourth-flight victory by Khon to clinch it.

The Owls will be back in action on January 30 as they take on Old Dominion at Doylestown Tennis Center at 11:00 a.m.

Temple 4, East Carolina 3
Doubles
1) Nicole LaDuca/Celia Ruiz (ECU) def. Alina Abdurakhimova/Anais Nussaume (Temple), 6-4
2) Mariana Bedon/Dina Karina (Temple) def. Michelle Castro/Annija Veinsteina (ECU), 7-5
3) Minami Okajima/Yana Khon (Temple) def. Katie Hoch/Maria Storozheva (ECU), 6-3

Singles
1) Alina Adurakhimova (Temple) def. Nicole LaDuca (ECU), 6-4, 6-3
2) Celia Ruiz (ECU) def. Anais Nussaume (Temple), 6-4, 6-2
3) Michelle Castro (ECU) def. Minami Okajima (Temple), 6-4, 7-5
4) Yana Khon (Temple) def. Maria Storozheva (ECU), 6-7 (9), 6-1, 6-2
5) Dina Karina (Temple) def. Katie Hoch (ECU), 6-4, 2-6, 6-2
6) Sarah Sarjoo (ECU) def. Mariana Bedon (Temple), 6-1, 1-6, 6-1

Order of Finish
Doubles: 1,3,2
Singles: 2,1,6,3,5,4