Sunday, February 3
Pittsburgh, Pa.
1:00 P.M.
West Virginia University
5
at
2
Pitt
Photo by: All Pro Photography/Dale Sparks
Mountaineers Down Pitt in Backyard Brawl
February 03, 2019 05:19 PM | Tennis
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – In the 37th edition of the Backyard Brawl, the West Virginia University tennis team defeated Pitt, 5-2, at the Oxford Athletic Club in Wexford Pennsylvania, on Sunday afternoon.
With the win over the Panthers, the Mountaineers begin the season 2-0 for the first time since 2010.
"It was a good battle today from both teams. We competed well in doubles and singles as a unit," said head coach Miha Lisac. "Overall, we started the season well this weekend and are starting to show results of growth and maturity as a program."
Doubles Recap
Despite being down 0-3 to start their match, sophomore Anne-Sophie Courteau and senior Abigail Rosiello won six straight points to claim their match, 6-3, over Clara Lucas and Camila Moreno from the No. 3 slot.
The Mountaineers stumbled in the No. 1 slot, where senior Paula Goetz and freshman Nicole Roc were defeated by Gabriela Rezende and Claudia Bartolome, 4-6.
In the final doubles match from the No. 2 slot, junior Sofia Duran and freshman Anastasiia Bovolskaia held a 4-2 lead before Natsumi Okamoto and Luisa Varon stormed back to tie the match, 6-6. Duran and Bovolskaia won the tiebreaking point and claimed the final doubles match, 7-6, to secure a team win in doubles play.
Singles Recap
Starting in the No. 1 slot, Goetz opened singles strong for the Mountaineers, claiming a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Luisa Varon.
In the No. 2 slot, Duran suffered her first loss of the weekend, falling to Claudia Bartolome in two sets, 5-7, 3-6.
Roc and Camila Moreno provided the first tiebreaker of the day in the No. 3 slot. After narrowly falling in the first set, 5-7, Roc rebounded and won the second set, 6-4. In the super tiebreaker, the Northside College Prep product bested Moreno, 6-0, and claimed the second singles win for WVU.
Sophomore Giovanna Caputo started in the No. 6 slot against Mariona Perez Noguera. Caputo grabbed the Mountaineers' second two-set victory of singles play, defeating Noguera, 7-5, 6-4. With the win, WVU captured its fourth team point to clinch the win.
The final two matches of the day both ended in super tiebreakers. In the No. 4 slot, Bovolskaia dropped the first set, 4-6, to Natsumi Okamoto but won the following set, 6-1, to force the tiebreaking set. Bovolskaia claimed the final set, 6-3, to capture West Virginia's fifth team point.
In the No. 5 slot, Courteau dropped the first set, 5-7, to Gabriela Rezende. Courteau bounced back in the second set, winning 6-1 and forcing a super tiebreaker. Unfortunately, Courteau fell to Rezende, 4-6, as Pitt claimed the final match of the day.
Looking Ahead
West Virginia returns to action on Sunday, Feb. 10, as it travels to Ames, Iowa, to square off with Iowa State to open Big 12 conference play. Last season, the Mountaineers defeated the Cyclones, 4-1, in Morgantown to claim the first Big 12 conference win in program history. WVU is scheduled to begin play at 10 a.m. ET.
Keep up with West Virginia women's tennis on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by following @WVUtennis.
With the win over the Panthers, the Mountaineers begin the season 2-0 for the first time since 2010.
"It was a good battle today from both teams. We competed well in doubles and singles as a unit," said head coach Miha Lisac. "Overall, we started the season well this weekend and are starting to show results of growth and maturity as a program."
Doubles Recap
Despite being down 0-3 to start their match, sophomore Anne-Sophie Courteau and senior Abigail Rosiello won six straight points to claim their match, 6-3, over Clara Lucas and Camila Moreno from the No. 3 slot.
The Mountaineers stumbled in the No. 1 slot, where senior Paula Goetz and freshman Nicole Roc were defeated by Gabriela Rezende and Claudia Bartolome, 4-6.
In the final doubles match from the No. 2 slot, junior Sofia Duran and freshman Anastasiia Bovolskaia held a 4-2 lead before Natsumi Okamoto and Luisa Varon stormed back to tie the match, 6-6. Duran and Bovolskaia won the tiebreaking point and claimed the final doubles match, 7-6, to secure a team win in doubles play.
Singles Recap
Starting in the No. 1 slot, Goetz opened singles strong for the Mountaineers, claiming a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Luisa Varon.
In the No. 2 slot, Duran suffered her first loss of the weekend, falling to Claudia Bartolome in two sets, 5-7, 3-6.
Roc and Camila Moreno provided the first tiebreaker of the day in the No. 3 slot. After narrowly falling in the first set, 5-7, Roc rebounded and won the second set, 6-4. In the super tiebreaker, the Northside College Prep product bested Moreno, 6-0, and claimed the second singles win for WVU.
Sophomore Giovanna Caputo started in the No. 6 slot against Mariona Perez Noguera. Caputo grabbed the Mountaineers' second two-set victory of singles play, defeating Noguera, 7-5, 6-4. With the win, WVU captured its fourth team point to clinch the win.
The final two matches of the day both ended in super tiebreakers. In the No. 4 slot, Bovolskaia dropped the first set, 4-6, to Natsumi Okamoto but won the following set, 6-1, to force the tiebreaking set. Bovolskaia claimed the final set, 6-3, to capture West Virginia's fifth team point.
In the No. 5 slot, Courteau dropped the first set, 5-7, to Gabriela Rezende. Courteau bounced back in the second set, winning 6-1 and forcing a super tiebreaker. Unfortunately, Courteau fell to Rezende, 4-6, as Pitt claimed the final match of the day.
Looking Ahead
West Virginia returns to action on Sunday, Feb. 10, as it travels to Ames, Iowa, to square off with Iowa State to open Big 12 conference play. Last season, the Mountaineers defeated the Cyclones, 4-1, in Morgantown to claim the first Big 12 conference win in program history. WVU is scheduled to begin play at 10 a.m. ET.
Keep up with West Virginia women's tennis on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by following @WVUtennis.
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
3,1,2
#1 Singles Match
12
66
Luisa Varon / 0 [UP]
13
#2 Singles Match
12
53
Claudia Bartolome / 0 (76/-) [UP]
76
#3 Singles Match
123
566
Camila Moreno / 0 [UP]
740
#4 Singles Match
123
466
Natsumi Okamoto / 0 [UP]
613
#5 Singles Match
123
564
Gabriela Rezende / 0 [UP]
716
#6 Singles Match
12
76
M. Perez Noguera / 0 [UP]
54
Order of Finish:
1,2,3,6,4,5
Players Mentioned
RH
/ Tennis
RH
/ Tennis
RH
/ Tennis
RH
/ Tennis
RH
/ Tennis
RH
/ Tennis
LH
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