LYNCHBURG, Va. – Longwood women's tennis played their first doubleheader of the spring campaign on Saturday, facing East Carolina University and Liberty University. ECU won the opening matchup 4-1, and Liberty took down Longwood 4-0 as the matches were played to the clinching point.
 
Singles
vs. ECU
No. 1 LWU Emma Nurgazieva over Isabella Rivera Ortiz 7-6, 6-3
No. 2 ECU Ines Bachir over Sophia Marchetta 7-5, 6-0
No. 3 ECU Martina Muzzolon over Karina Rizvanova 7-5, 6-3
No. 4 Alisha Hussain vs. Maria Saez DNF
No. 5 ECU Joan Madi over Wiktoria Czerny 6-1, 6-4
No. 6 Laura Becker vs. Nina Hederich DNF
vs. Liberty
No. 1 LIB Maria Juliana Parra-Romero over Emma Nurgazieva 6-0, 6-0
No. 2 Alexandra Almborg vs. Karina Rizvanova DNF
No. 3 LIB Marina Davtyan over Maria Saez 6-0, 6-0
No. 4 LIB Esther Lovato over Wiktoria Czerny 6-0, 2-0 (retire due to injury)
No. 5 Tiffany Nguyen vs. Nina Hederich DNF
No. 6 Elsa Kirch vs. Zoe Barton DNF
 
Doubles
vs. ECU
No. 1 ECU Bachir/Hussain over Rizvanova/Nurgazieva 6-4
No. 2 ECU Muzzolon/Rivera over Saez/Hederich 6-0
No. 3 LWU Czerny/Marchetta over Becker/Madi 6-3
vs. Liberty
No. 1 LIB Parra-Romero/Davtyan over Rizvanova/Nurgazieva 6-1
No. 2 LIB Nguyen/Ode over Saez/Hederich 6-0
No. 3 LIB Burger/Sampaio over Czerny/Barton 6-3
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 
The Lancers began the day with a closely contested doubles match against ECU. Wiktoria Czerny and Sophia Marchetta won their match at No. 3 doubles 6-3 for the Lancers, but ECU earned the doubles point after the Pirates' No. 1 pairing took down Karina Rizvanova and Emma Nurgazieva in a tight 6-4 set
Nurgazieva opened singles play strong for the Lancers, earning a tough win over ECU's Isabella Rivera Ortiz, 7-6, 6-3. Marchetta and Rizvanova followed with two closely contested losses, both of which going to a seventh point in the first set. Czerny fell to ECU's Joan Madi in the clinching point.
 
In Longwood's next dual, Liberty opened strong in doubles play, earning decisions over each Lancers duo. In singles play, the Flames clinched the match with a trio of singles wins.
 
WHAT THEY SAID:
 
"The ladies faced two very tough teams today but brought their best and competed well," said Longwood Director of Tennis Adam Jackson. "This is great preparation as we get into the season."
 
UP NEXT:
 
The Lancers won't be back in action until February 15^th when they travel to Elon University to battle the Phoenix. The match is scheduled to start at 2 p.m.
 
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