FARMVILLE, Va. – Radford's Taylor Newman and Gemma Valls paired up for a decisive doubles win and helped the Highlanders control the top three singles spots to take down Longwood, 5-2, Saturday afternoon at the Radford University Tennis Copmlex.
 
After Longwood (6-9, 1-4 Big South) and Radford (4-7, 1-3 Big South) split the first two doubles matches, Newman and Valls won a decisive battle at No. 1 over the Lancers' top duo of Malin Allgurin and Paloma Alatorre to give the Highlanders a 1-0 lead. The Radford duo followed by claiming the first two singles points of the match to spark four consecutive singles wins that locked up Radford's victory.
 
"Tough match today. Once we lost the doubles point, it seemed to really affect our singles play," head coach Bruce Myers said. "We're looking forward to getting back home for a match as we have done well in Farmville this season. I hope the girls use these kind of tough conference losses as building blocks throughout the season in order to perform at our highest level at the conference tournament."
 
Longwood's two points came from sophomores Paloma Alatorre and Mason Thomas at No. 4 and No. 5 singles at the end of the match. Thomas won her team-leading 10th match of the year over Grace Sarver in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2. Alatorre followed by downing Taylor Fay in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2.
 
Despite the back-to-back wins at Nos. 4 and 5, however, Radford's singles victories at Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 6 put Longwood in an insurmountable hole. After Newman and Valls won out of the break, Radford ace Natalie Sayer toppled Longwood's all-time Division I wins leader Malin Allgurin, 6-2, 6-2, for the match-clinching point. Meg Napolitano defeated Nicole Parker, 6-3, 6-3, to put the Highlanders ahead 5-0 before Alatorre and Thomas finally put Longwood on the board.
 
The Radford match signals the end of a three-match road streak and preempts Longwood's return to Lancer Courts Sunday against Norfolk State at 3 p.m. That will be the first of six straight home contests for the Lancers, who will play four matches in the next seven days.
 
Radford 5, Longwood 2
March 21, 2015
Radford, Va. (Radford University Tennis Complex)
 
Singles
1. Natalie Sayer (RAD) def. Malin Allgurin (LWU) 6-2, 6-2
2. Taylor Newman (RAD) def. Anna Pelak (LWU) 6-2, 6-2
3. Gemma Valls (RAD) def. Maria Coronel (LWU) 6-1, 6-0
4. Paloma Alatorre (LWU) def. Taylor Fay (RAD) 6-3, 6-2
5. Mason Thomas (LWU) def. Grace Sarver (RAD) 6-1, 6-2
6. Meg Napolitano (RAD) def. Nicole Parker (LWU) 6-3, 6-3
 
Doubles
1. Gemma Valls/Taylor Newman (RAD) def. Malin Allgurin/Paloma Alatorre (LWU) 8-6
2. Grace Sarver/Meg Napolitano (RAD) def. Anna Pelak/Nicole Parker (LWU) 8-5
3. Mason Thomas/Maria Coronel (LWU) def. Natalie Sayer/Taylor Fay (RAD) 8-4
 
Notes
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (3,2,1,6,5,4)
Time: 3:05
Attendance: 37

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