PHILADELPHIA - Penn's women's tennis team earned their fourth straight win of the year today, beating East Tennessee State, 6-1. The Quakers came away from the weekend 2-0, after beating No. 59 Marshall on Friday, 5-2.
Penn swept East Tennessee in the doubles point. Freshmen team Maria Anismova and Ekaterina Kosminskaya won a battle in the No. 1 singles spot, as they beat Masha Ilina and Yevgeniya Stupak, 9-7. Junior co-captains Yulia Rivelis and Julia Koulbitskaya had an easier time in the No. 2 spot, beating Olya Batsula and Tara Byrne, 8-3. And in the No. 3 spot, sophomores Lenka Snajdrova and Amanda Avedissian beat Vita Moskaliova and Brittany Stewart, 8-4.
The Quakers came close to sweeping the Buccaneers in singles as well. Kosminskaya got her groove back, winning in the No. 1 singles spot, 6-2, 6-2, beating Batsula. Rivelis also won in two sets, beating Iliana 6-4, 6-4 in the No. 2 spot. Koulbitskaya had more of a battle in the No. 3 spot, as she lost the first set, 4-6, but battled back to win the second set and the tie breaker, 6-4 (11-9). Junior Michelle Mitchell had a similar battle with different results. In the No. 5 spot, she took on Byrne and won the first set, 6-3. But this time, it was Byrne who battled back, taking the second set 7-6, and the tiebreaker 10-5. Anismova had an easier time in the No. 4 spot, as she beat Volobueva, 6-4, 6-3. And in her first match action of the season, sophomore Lauren Sadaka had a decisive win in the No.6 singles spot, beating Moskaliova, 6-3, 6-3.
After a tough weekend of two matches in two days, the Quakers will spend the week preparing for an even tougher home stand next weekend. On Saturday, Feb. 17, Penn will host a doubleheader against two more tough teams. At noon, they will host their highest ranked opponent so far, No. 12 Virginia Commonwealth University. And then at 4 p.m. they will host Georgetown. Both matches will be held in Levy Pavilion.
Penn 6, East Tennessee 1
Doubles
1) Ekaterina Kosminskaya/Maria Anismova (Penn) def. Masha Ilina/Yevgeniya Stupak (East Tennessee), 9-7
2) Julia Koulbitskaya/Yulia Rivelis (Penn) def. Olya Batsula/Tara Byrne (East Tennessee), 8-3
3) Lenka Snajdrova/Amanda Avedissian (Penn) def. Vita Moskaliova/Brittney Stewart(East Tennessee), 8-4
Singles
1)Ekaterina Kosminskaya (Penn) def. Olya Batsula (East Tennessee), 6-2, 6-2
2)Yulia Rivelis (Penn) def. Masha Ilina (East Tennessee), 6-4, 6-4
3)Julia Koulbitskaya (Penn) def. Yevegeniya Stupak (East Tennessee) 4-6, 6-4 (11-9)
4)Maria Anismova (Penn) def. Elena Volobueva (East Tennessee), 6-4, 6-3
5)Tara Bryne(East Tennessee) def. Michelle Mitchell (Penn), 6-3, 7-6 (10-5)
6)Lauren Sadaka (Penn) def. Vita Moskaliova (East Tennessee) 6-3, 6-3
