FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Playing a woman down, the fifth-ranked Nova Southeastern Sharks tennis team (11-1) battled through adversity on Saturday afternoon at the NSU Tennis Center at Rolling Hills, scrapping out a 5-2 victory over 24th-ranked Wayne State despite facing three tiebreaker matches on the day, earning their 11th win on season at home after a 17-day stretch on the road. This marks their fifth victory in 2020 against a nationally-ranked foe.
DOUBLES
- The Sharks fell behind early in doubles as Laura Cazacu and Teodora Radu compiled a 6-0 win in the second flight over Karolina Snita and Diane Follin–Arbelet – dealing the pair only their second loss of the year.
- Taking charge in the third flight, Ivana Djordjevic and Isabella Lowrey knotted the score on a 6-2 win over Sabrina Laynes and Irena van Meer.
- Rolling to a tiebreaker win at No. 1, Daniela Obando and Tingting Pei defeated Linda Liong and Khadija Da-Silva, 7-6 (5) to earn the team doubles point.
SINGLES
- In the fifth and sixth flights, the Sharks advanced their lead quickly on a pair of 6-0, 6-3 victories by Celia Montero Estevan and Follin-Arbelet over Laynes and Carla Jewell, respectively, going ahead 3-0.
- Snita secured the win for the Sharks with a 6-0, 6-0 triumph over Cazacu at No. 1 singles.
- After falling in the third flight, the Sharks had one more singles win in the tank, as No. 38 Obando notched the fifth finish at No. 2 singles, topping Liong in three, 7-6 (5), 2-6, 10-7.
FROM COACH DOUG NEAGLE
“We were tested today by a well-coached and tough Wayne State team. The match could’ve gone either way. I am looking forward to getting back to the practice courts next week. There were some positives today. I liked the way Ivana Djordjevic and Isabella Lowrey stepped in and gave us a much-needed boost in doubles. Also, Diane Follin-Arbelet for stepping it up in singles.”
UP NEXT
The Sharks will host a doubleheader on Tuesday, March 10, facing Daemen (N.Y.) at 10:00 a.m., followed by Hillsdale at 3:00 p.m. – heading back on the road for a Sunshine State Conference match at Rollins on Sunday.
SOCIAL
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