FARMVILLE, Va. – Within two weeks of his first spring at Longwood, first-year head coach Bruce Myers pegged his women's tennis program as an outdoor squad. That played to his Lancers' disadvantage when a gauntlet of cold and snow disrupted Longwood's early schedule, but with spring fast approaching, the Lancers are back in their element.
 
Finally playing outdoors on the Lancer Courts on a sunny, 67-degree day, Longwood (7-10) knocked off Norfolk State squad, 4-1, to improve to 3-0 at home. Behind a pair of straight-sets singles wins from Anna Pelak at No. 2 and Paloma Alatorre at No. 4, Longwood made quick work of a shorthanded Norfolk State squad that forfeited No. 3 doubles and No. 6 singles. Both Pelak and Alatorre's wins came in straight sets and cut short Longwood's two other singles bouts in progress once the Lancers clinched their fourth point of the day.
 
"We didn't play our best, but we always seem to gut out the tough matches at home," first-year head coach Bruce Myers said.
 
The premature ending halted matches-in-progress for Malin Allgurin at No. 1 and Mason Thomas at No. 5 singles, both of which were one set away from victory. Allgurin avenged a 6-4 first-set loss to Liza Gordeeva with a 6-2 win in set two but was forced to postpone her pursuit of Longwood's all-time wins record once the match clinched in the Lancers' favor. Thomas, meanwhile, held a 6-4, 4-4, advantage over Mafalda Lhorca at No. 5 singles but fell two games shy of padding her team-leading 10 wins on the year.
 
With the win, Longwood has now defeated Bucknell, St. Joe's and Norfolk State on the Lancer Courts this season by a combined score of 15-4. Alatorre is a perfect 3-0 in those matches, while Thomas has also yet to lose this year at home.
 
That home win streak will be put to the test over the next two weeks, however, as Sunday's win marks the first of six straight home matches. Chowan comes to town Wednesday for a 4:30 p.m. matchup at Lancer Courts.
 
Longwood 4, Norfolk State 1
March 22, 2015
Farmville, Va. (Lancer Courts)
 
Singles competition
1. Malin Allgurin (LWU) vs. Liza Gordeeva (NOST) 4-6, 6-2 (DNF)
2. Anna Pelak (LWU) def. Andrea Macchiavello (NOST) 6-4, 6-3
3. Yvonne Kamegne (NOST) def. Maria Coronel (LWU) 6-3, 6-3
4. Paloma Alatorre (LWU) def. Krystal Scott (NOST) 6-2, 6-0
5. Mason Thomas (LWU) def. Mafalda Lhorca (NOST) 6-4, 4-4 (DNF)
6. No player (NOST) vs. Nicole Parker (LWU) no result
 
Doubles competition
1. Mafalda Lhorca/Andrea Macchiavello (NOST) def. Malin Allgurin/Paloma Alatorre (LWU) 8-6
2. Nicole Parker/Anna Pelak (LWU) def. Krystal Scott/Liza Gordeeva (NOST) 8-7
3. Mason Thomas/Maria Coronel (LWU) def. No player/No player (NOST) no result
 
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