Women’s Tennis Split Home Matches in Final Contests at Home

LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Liberty women's tennis team (9-4) split matches at home this weekend at the Liberty Tennis Complex, falling against ETSU (8-2) in a narrow 4-3 defeat, then bouncing back with a commanding 5-0 victory over Memphis (2-11) on Sunday.

The matches were a part of a joint home tennis weekend with the Liberty men's tennis team playing simultaneous matches. The Lady Flames enjoyed playing in front of a passionate home crowd in its final matches at home this season.

ETSU 4, #69 Liberty 3

In Friday's match against ETSU, Liberty earned singles victories at the No. 1, No. 3, and No. 5 positions but could not secure the doubles point, which proved decisive in the match outcome.

ETSU clinched the doubles point with victories on courts two and one. At No. 2 doubles, Julia Millan and Ksenija Rage defeated Daniella O'Neill and Celina Joseph, 6-1. Liberty responded with a win at No. 3 doubles where Candy Wai and Milana Tsulygina overcame Niyati Kukreti and Audelie Lesauvage, 6-4. The Buccanears clinched the ultimately critical doubles point with Alessandra Caceres and Mariangel Estrella's 6-4 triumph over Yoanna Radulova and Maria Turchetto at No. 1 doubles.

In singles action, ETSU quickly extended its lead with Mariangel Estrella's 6-2, 6-1 victory over Joseph at No. 6 singles. Radulova then fell to Caceres, 6-2, 6-2, on court two, giving ETSU a commanding 3-0 lead. Liberty began to crawl back as Turchetto secured a 6-3, 6-2 win against Millan at No. 3 singles. Wai added another point for Liberty with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Kukreti at No. 5 singles. O'Neill then leveled the overall score on court one, defeating Rage in straight sets, 7-6 (5), 6-4. The visitors clinched the match when Lesauvage edged Tsulygina, 7-6 (2), 6-3, at No. 4 singles.

Singles Competition

1. Daniella O'Neill (LIBERTYW) def. Ksenija Rage (ETSU) 7-6 (7-5), 6-4

2. Alessandra Caceres (ETSU) def. Yoanna Radulova (LIBERTYW) 6-2, 6-2

3. Maria Turchetto (LIBERTYW) def. Julia Millan (ETSU) 6-3, 6-2

4. Audelie Lesauvage (ETSU) def. Milana Tsulygina (LIBERTYW) 7-6 (7-2), 6-3

5. Candy Wai (LIBERTYW) def. Niyati Kukreti (ETSU) 6-4, 6-3

6. Mariangel Estrella (ETSU) def. Celina Joseph (LIBERTYW) 6-2, 6-1

Doubles Competition

1. Alessandra Caceres/Mariangel Estrella (ETSU) def. Yoanna Radulova/Maria Turchetto (LIBERTYW) 6-4

2. Julia Millan/Ksenija Rage (ETSU) def. Daniella O'Neill/Celina Joseph (LIBERTYW) 6-1

3. Candy Wai/Milana Tsulygina (LIBERTYW) def. Niyati Kukreti/Audelie Lesauvage (ETSU) 6-4

ETSU 8-2

Liberty 8-4; National ranking #69

Order of Finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (6,2,3,5,1,4)

#69 Liberty 5, Memphis 0

The Flames rebounded strongly against Memphis, securing the doubles point with victories at the No. 2 and No. 3 positions. Memphis forfeited No. 3 doubles and No. 6 singles only having five athletes active on Sunday. Liberty's Candy Wai and Celina Joseph clinched the doubles point on court two, defeating Clemence Thouard and Rebecca Frant 6-0. The match on court one was left unfinished, tied at 2-2.

In singles play, Liberty extended its lead with a strong performance across the board. Celina Joseph earned a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Marina Lubsheva at No. 5 singles. Playing to clinch, Liberty secured simultaneous match points to secure the 5-0 triumph. Maria Turchetto added the fourth point with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Clemence Thouard at No. 3 singles. Candy Wai immediately followed, winning 6-2, 6-4 against Rebecca Frant on court four. The matches on courts one and two featuring O'Neill and Raduolva were left unfinished.

Singles Competition

1. Daniella O'Neill (LIBERTYW) vs. Mykhailets, Sofiia (MEM) 6-2, 5-7, unfinished

2. Yoanna Radulova (LIBERTYW) vs. Dvorackova, Emma (MEM) 7-5, 4-3, unfinished

3. Maria Turchetto (LIBERTYW) def. Thouard, Clemence (MEM) 6-4, 6-2

4. Candy Wai (LIBERTYW) def. Frant, Rebecca (MEM) 6-2, 6-4

5. Celina Joseph (LIBERTYW) def. Lubsheva, Marina (MEM) 6-1, 6-0

6. Anika Lemus (LIBERTYW) def. Mall, Alicia (MEM), by forfeit

Doubles Competition

1. Yoanna Radulova/Maria Turchetto (LIBERTYW) vs. Mykhailets, Sofiia/Dvorackova, Emma (MEM) 2-2, unfinished

2. Candy Wai/Celina Joseph (LIBERTYW) def. Thouard, Clemence/Frant, Rebecca (MEM) 6-0

3. Daniella O'Neill/Milana Tsulygina (LIBERTYW) def. Lubsheva, Marina/Mall, Alicia (MEM), by forfeit

Memphis 2-11

Liberty 9-4; National ranking #69

Order of Finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (6,5,3,4)

Lady Flames News & Notes

Liberty improves to 47-23 (.671) collectively in doubles and a 24-10 (.706) overall mark in singles.

Wai finished as the only Lady Flame with a 4-0 weekend with a pair of doubles and singles triumphs.

Turchetto and Wai were the only Lady Flames to go 2-0 in singles competition.

Joseph leads Liberty with a 9-3 singles record this season.

Up Next

Liberty travels to Florida for a pair of road matches. The Lady Flames take on former Atlantic Sun rival, Florida Gulf Coast (10-4), on Friday at 10 a.m. before meeting South Florida (3-6) on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.

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