Box Score Morgantown, W.Va. – The West Virginia University women's tennis team took a 3-1 lead early and survived a late comeback attempt to best Buffalo, 4-3, at the Summit Tennis Academy in Morgantown on Saturday.
 
WVU started the match strong and was able to take the early lead by winning the doubles point. On the first court, Christina Jordan and Sofía Duran topped UB's Tanja Stojanovska and Anna Savchenko, 6-4. Paula Goetz and Lyn Yuen Choo clinched the doubles point as they bested Chantal Blanco and Lolade Ogungbesan, 6-4, on the second court.
 
The match between Anne-Sophie Courteau and Giovanna Caputo and Buffalo's Emel Abibula and Arianna Aldrey was abandoned due to clinch rules with the match tied at four all.
 
"When it comes to winning the battles, when it comes to why we put in the work, it is for situations and matches like this," fifth-year coach Miha Lisac said. "You don't necessarily want to find yourself in that position, but when you do you have to be willing and ready to pull it out."
 
The Mountaineers continued their fast start in singles play as Jordan powered past Blanco at No. 1, 6-0 and 6-1, to give the Mountaineers a 2-0 advantage. Buffalo earned its first team point of the day as Duran fell to Abibula, 6-1, in straight sets.
 
On the third court, Choo earned her team-leading fourth singles win of the season, as she topped Ogungbesan, to give WVU the 3-1 edge with three singles matches remaining.
 
After winning the first set, 6-4, Courteau lost in the second set, 3-6, and dropped the third set, 2-6, on the second court as Buffalo cut the WVU lead to 3-2 with two matches remaining. The Bulls tied the match when Sanjana Sudhir bested Abigail Rosiello, 6-1 and 6-2 on court No. 5.
 
On the sixth court, Caputo won the first set over UB's Mercedes Rubio, 6-0, but dropped the second set 6-2. In the third set, Caputo found herself down 3-0 early but rallied to even the score at five apiece. Caputo and Rubio then split the next two points to force the tiebreaker.
 
In the tiebreaker, Caputo took an early lead that she would not surrender as she won the tiebreak 7-5 to give WVU the win. It was the second time this season that she claimed the match-clinching victory.
 
"Gigi (Giovanna Caputo) had to find a tremendous amount of focus and energy to get back and clinch for match for us and she did that," Lisac continued. "That was outstanding."
 
West Virginia is back in action on Sunday, Feb. 25, as the Mountaineers take on Towson. The match is slated to begin at 1 p.m. at the Summit Tennis Academy, formerly known as the Ridgeview Racquet Club.
 
Singles Competition:
No. 1: Christina Jordan (WVU) def. Chantal Blanco (UB) - 6-0, 6-1
No. 2: Anne-Sophie Courteau (WVU) def. Tanja Stojanovska (UB) – 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
No. 3: Lyn Yuen Choo (WVU) def. Lolade Ogungbesan (UB) – 6-4, 6-3
No. 4: Emel Abibula (UB) def. Sofía Duran (WVU) - 6-2, 6-1
No. 5: Mercedes Rubio (UB) def. Giovanna Caputo (WVU) - 6-0, 4-6, 7-6 (5)
No. 6: Sanjana Sudhir (UB) def. Abigail Rosiello (WVU) - 6-1, 6-2
 
Doubles competition:
No. 1: Christina Jordan/Sofia Duran (WVU) def. Tanja Stojanovska/Anna Savchenko (UB) - 6-4
No. 2: Paula Goetz/Lyn Yuen Choo (WVU) def. Chantal Blanco/Lolade Ogungbesan (UB) - 6-4
No. 3: Anne-Sophie Courteau/Giovanna Caputo (WVU) vs. Emel Abibula/Arianna Aldrey (UB) - 4-4, uf.
 
Keep up with West Virginia women's tennis on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by following @WVUtennis.