SAVANNAH, Ga. – Led by three straight-sets singles wins and a doubles sweep, the Longwood women's tennis team opened its spring break trip by cruising to a 5-2 road win at Savannah State Tuesday afternoon at the Tiger Tennis Courts.
In the first of Longwood's three matches during the university's week-long break, the Lancers (3-2) made quick work of the Tigers by sweeping the doubles point for the second time this season and carrying that momentum into singles play where ace
Marija Venta, No.3
Jamie Breunig and No. 6
Tanja Skalda all earned straight-sets wins, and No. 4
Kaori Terunuma grinded out a three-set victory.
The victory came in the midst of a grueling road swing for the Lancers, who have played four matches in the past seven days and will play two more before the end of Longwood's week-long spring break.
"It's nice to see our team evolving," said Venta, who has played four of her five singles bouts as Longwood's No. 1 this season. "I think we've learned a lot from the previous two losses. We will take the momentum from today to keep improving this week in Florida."
Tuesday's victory righted the ship after Longwood ran into Big South frontrunners Charleston Southern and Campbell last weekend, falling on back-to-back days against the conference rivals. Those losses were the Lancers' first of the season but did little to derail second-year head coach
Maria Lopez's squad Tuesday against Savannah State.
"Our doubles play is getting stronger, and the team is really following through with our way of playing in all positions," said Lopez, who is overseeing a young Longwood team of two sophomores and six freshmen in her second season as head coach.
"As a team, we require more discipline in certain positions in singles throughout the match. The girls are working hard, but it's coming down to staying disciplined when things aren't going their way at all times. Tomorrow is another opportunity for them to grow and keep building as a team."
Venta and Breunig – both sophomores and the lone upperclassmen on Longwood's new-look 2017-18 roster – jumpstarted Tuesday's win with a dominant 6-1 doubles victory at the No. 1 slot over Savannah State's top duo of Muskaan Ranjan and Sansriti Ranjan. Longwood's No. 2 doubles pairing of freshmen
Yulia Almiron and Terunuma followed suit with 6-3 win, as did the No. 3 Lancer duo of
Julia Candiotto and Skalda, who won 6-2.
Breunig and Venta carried the momentum into singles play where Breunig dispatched her No. 3 counterpart Muskaan Tanjan 6-0, 6-0 for her third singles win of the spring. Venta matched her sophomore teammate with a 6-4, 6-2 win at the No. 1 slot over Savannah State ace Sofia Shut'Ko, clinching the win after Skalda put Longwood up 3-0 with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Rachida El Katab at No. 6.
Terunuma closed out the win by outlasting No. 4 counterpart Sansriti Ranjan 5-7, 6-2, 1-0 (13-11).
The Lancers will look to carry that momentum throughout the rest of the week as they head further south to the Sunshine State where they will face Bethune-Cookman Wednesday in Daytona Beach and No. 19 Miami Friday in Coral Gables.
Longwood 5, Savannah State 2
Mar 06, 2018 at Savannah, Ga. (Tiger Tennis Courts)
Singles competition
1. VENTA, Marija (LWUW) def. SHUT'KO, Sofia (SSU) 6-4, 6-2
2. VOROBEVA, Ekaterina (SSU) def. ALMIRON, Yulia (LWUW) 2-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-5)
3. BREUNIG, Jamie (LWUW) def. RANJAN, Muskaan (SSU) 6-0, 6-0
4. TERUNUMA, Kaori (LWUW) def. RANJAN, Sansriti (SSU) 5-7, 6-2, 1-0 (13-11)
5. ALSTON, Shakendra (SSU) def. CANDIOTTO, Julia (LWUW) 6-1, 3-6, 6-4
6. SKALDA, Tanja (LWUW) def. EL KATEB, Rachida (SSU) 6-1, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. VENTA, Marija/BREUNIG, Jamie (LWUW) def. RANJAN, Muskaan/RANJAN, Sansriti (SSU) 6-1
2. ALMIRON, Yulia/TERUNUMA, Kaori (LWUW) def. ALSTON, Shakendra/VOROBEVA, Ekaterina (SSU) 6-3
3. CANDIOTTO, Julia/SKALDA, Tanja (LWUW) def. SHUT'KO, Sofia/EL KATEB, Rachida (SSU) 6-2
Match Notes
Longwood 3-2
Savannah State 0-7
Official: Bill Stone
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