Feb. 16, 2013

Bethlehem, Pa. -

Despite a 4-3 loss to Penn on Friday, Stony Brook's women's tennis team was impressive during the opening weekend of the 2013 season.  The Seawolves avenged Friday's loss with a 7-0 shutout of Lehigh to cap the weekend.

After losing at No. 1 doubles against Lehigh, the Seawolves rallied to capture the doubles point with wins at No.  2 and No. 3.  Sophomores Cassandra Dix (Northamptonshire, United Kingdom) won at No. 4 singles, 6-0, 6-0 and Polina Movchan (Kiev, Ukraine) was victorious at No. 2 singles to take a commanding 3-0 lead.  Senior Nini Lagvilava (Tbilsi, Georgia) clinched the win over Lehigh with a 6-1, 7-5 win at No. 1 singles.

Despite dropping the doubles point to Penn, Lagvilava handed the Quakers their first individual-match loss of the season with a 7-5, 7-5 victory at No. 1 singles.  Movchan rallied at No. 2 singles to win 1-6, 7-6, 6-4, but Stony Brook captured only one more singles flight the rest of the way after freshman Jackie Altansarnai (Hinsdale, Ill.) won a deciding third set, 6-2.

The women's team will take on Connecticut at Army next Saturday, February 23 in match rescheduled due to last week's blizzard.

Penn 4, Stony Brook 3

Singles
1. Nini Lagvilava (SBU) def. Sol Eskenazi (UP), 7-5, 7-5
2. Polina Movchan (SBU) def. Sonya Latycheva (UP); 1-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4
3. Stephanie Do (UP) def. Louise Badoche (SBU); 6-2, 6-7 (1), 6-1
4. Jaime Yapp-Shing (UP) def. Becky Shtilkind (SBU); 6-1, 6-0
5. Jackie Altansarnai (SBU) def. Alex Ion (UP); 6-1, 1-6, 6-2
6. Katherine Jania (UP) def. Cassandra Dix (SBU); 6-2, 6-3

Doubles
1. Eskenazi/Latycheva (UP) def. Movchan/Shtilkind (SBU); 8-3
2. Do/Rodin (UP) def. Lagvilava/Badoche (SBU); 8-7 (5)
3. Whitfield/Jania (UP) def. Pike/Dix (SBU); 8-5

Stony Brook 7, Lehigh 0