Mountaineers Dominate in Home Opener

Sunday, February 13

Morgantown, W.Va.

10 a.m.

West Virginia University

Duquesne

February 13, 2022 07:25 PM | Tennis

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Duquesne Box Score YSU Box Score

By: Reghan Bailey

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University tennis team (4-2, 0-0 Big 12) dominated the competition from the start in today's nonconference doubleheader, as the Mountaineers defeated Duquesne, 6-1, and Youngstown State, 5-2, in Morgantown at the Summit Tennis Academy.

"It was good to be able to compete at home again. We had two solid matches today and saw a lot of positive progress from the team," Mountaineer coach Miha Lisac said. "We will be focused on having a good week of practice and then competing on the road again this coming weekend."

Doubles Recap (v. Duquesne)
Sunday morning competition began with doubles play against Duquesne, where freshman Camilla Bossi and junior Ting-Pei Chang started the Mountaineers off on the right foot. The pair claimed the match against the Dukes' Priyanka Mitta and Meredith Lee, 6-2.

Sophomore Momoko Nagato and senior Penny Hsieh secured the doubles point for WVU after defeating Daniela Latoni and Natasha Novak, 6-3. Freshmen pair Kendall Kovick and Tatiana Lipatova's match against Margot Pessy and Ana Utrilla Benito went unfinished.

Singles Recap (v. Duquesne)
During singles play, in the No. 3 spot, Kovick defeated Ellen Shanahan to give the Mountaineers a 2-0 lead over the Dukes. The freshman defeated Shanahan in two-straight sets, 6-2, 6-1, before Nagato notched another victory for WVU. The sophomore, in the No. 2 slot, recorded a, 6-1, 6-4, victory over Utrilla Benito.

Up next, in another two-straight set match, senior Anastasiia Bovolskaia defeated Natasha Novak, 6-3, 6-3, to secure the match for the Mountaineers.

The Dukes tallied their first point of the match as Pessy defeated Chang in three sets. The senior took the first set in a tie-breaker, 7-6(2), before Pessy battled back in the second, 6-4. In the third set, the two went toe-to-toe, but Pessy ultimately outlasted Chang, 1-0(4).

In the No. 5 slot, Bossi got the Mountaineers back on track after topping Latoni in two-straight sets, 6-4, 6-2. To cap off competition against the Dukes, Hsieh dominated Blanca Benet Garcia, 6-4, 6-2.

Doubles Recap (v. Youngstown State)
To start off competition against the Penguins, the Mountaineers dominated in doubles play. All three pairs won 6-2 across the board.

Bossi and Chang finished their match first, followed by Nagato and Hsieh to secure the doubles point for WVU. Freshmen pair Kovick and Lipatova locked in the sweep for the Mountaineers.

Singles Recap (v. Youngstown State)
In the No. 2 slot, Kovick started singles play off strong by defeating the YSU's Eliska Masarikova, 6-1, 6-1, before Bovolskaia fell to Marko, 0-6, 2-6.

The Penguins then tied up the match 2-2, as Elisa Rigazio defeated Kucharova in two-straight sets.

Chang, in the No. 1 spot, topped Rosas (6-2, 6-3), to put the Mountaineers back on top, before Hsieh secured the match for WVU, dominating Oliveira in two-straight sets, 6-1, 6-1.

Battling through three sets, Lipatova is able to close out the match against YSU with a win. The freshman won the first set, 6-1, before falling short in the second, 4-6. After going back-and-forth during the tiebreaker set, Lipatova outlasted Minich, 7-5.

Duquesne Doubles Results

Camilla Bossi/Ting-Pei Chang (WVU) def. Priyanka Mitta/Meredith Lee (DU), 6-2
Kendall Kovick/Tatiana Lipatova (WVU) vs. Margot Pessy/Ana Utrilla Benito (DU), unfin.
Momoko Nagato/Penny Hsieh (WVU) def. Daniela Latoni/Natasha Novack (DU), 6-3

Duquesne Singles Results

Pessy (DU) def. Chang (WVU), 6-7(2), 4-6, 1-0(4)
Nagato (WVU) def. Utrilla Benito (DU), 6-1, 6-4
Kovick (WVU) def. Shanahan (DU), 6-2, 6-1
Bovolskaia (WVU) def. Novak (DU), 6-3, 6-3
Bossi (WVU) def. Latoni (DU), 6-4, 6-2
Hsieh (WVU) def. Garcia (DU), 6-4, 6-2

Youngstown State Doubles Results

Camilla Bossi/Ting-Pei Chang (WVU) def. Cecilia Rosas/Julia Marko (YSU), 6-2
Kendall Kovick/Tatiana Lipatova (WVU) vs. Eliska Masarikova/Elisa Rigazio (YSU), 6-2
Momoko Nagato/Penny Hsieh (WVU) def. Lili Minich/Maria Oliveira (YSU), 6-2

Youngstown State Singles Results

Chang (WVU) def. Rosas (YSU), 6-2, 6-3
Kovick (WVU) def. Masarikova (YSU), 6-1, 6-1
Marko (YSU) def. Bovolskaia (WVU), 6-0, 6-2
Rigazio (YSU) def. Kucharova (WVU), 6-3, 6-3
Lipatova (WVU) def. Minich (YSU), 6-1, 4-6, 7-5
Hsieh (WVU) def. Oliveira (YSU), 6-1, 6-1

Looking Ahead
WVU returns to action on Friday, Feb. 18, as the Mountaineers travel to Huntington, West Virginia, to battle in-state foe Marshall. First serve against the Thundering Herd is set for 1 p.m. ET, at the Brian David Fox Tennis Center.

Keep up with West Virginia women's tennis on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by following @WVUtennis.