PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania women's tennis team opened the 2024 portion of its campaign with three wins, beating LIU 7-0 on Saturday and topping Howard (7-0) and Villanova (7-0) on Sunday at the Hamlin/Hecht Tennis Centers.
 
Penn opened the new year against the Sharks by winning the doubles, with Eileen Wang and Esha Velaga getting the 6-3 win in the first slot and the duo of Iris Gallo and Saige Roshkoff clinching the doubles points with a 6-1 contest.
 
Freshman Velaga picked up where she left off from her stellar fall campaign, opening spring singles play with a 6-4, 6-1 win in the one slot. Gallo once again was a factor in clinching points for the Quakers as she won his first singles bout of the spring 6-1, 6-4.
 
The Red and Blue brought their momentum into Sunday's play, clinching the doubles against Howard after No. 1 slot Wang and Urata took their match 6-2 and No. 2 slot Gallo and Gavriella Smith won 6-3. Smith and Wang kept up their pace in the singles round against the Bison, with No. 1 Smith rolling through her contest 6-1, 6-1 and Wang following her teammate with a 6-4, 6-3 win.
 
The Quakers capped off the day with a 7-0 victory against Philadelphia foe Villanova. The chemistry of doubles partners Wang/Velaga and Gallo/Roshkoff could not be topped as the pairs took their contests, 6-3 and 6-4, to clinch the last doubles points of the day. Velaga and junior Smith finished it off in the singles, with Velaga winning 6-3, 6-2 and Smith beating her opponent 6-1, 6-0.
 
Up Next
The Quakers (3-0, 0-0 Ivy) return to the Hamlin/Hecht Tennis Centers on Friday, Jan. 26, for an 11:00 a.m. battle with Hofstra.
 
Results vs. LIU
Doubles
Eileen Wang/Esha Velaga def. Leo Boisseau/Saki Oyama, 6-3
Iris Gallo/Saige Roshkoff def. Lucy Garrigues/Jasmine Maduel, 6-1
Maya Urata/Sasha Motlagh def. Clara Tardivel/Mia Tsoukalas, 6-4
Singles
Velaga def. Boisseau, 6-4, 6-2
Gallo def. Garrigues, 6-1, 6-4
Wang def. Oyama, 6-2, 6-2
Roshkoff def. Tsoukalas, 5-7, 6-3, 10-4
Urata def. Tardivel, 6-4, 6-4
Motlagh def. Maduel, 6-1, 6-3
 
Results vs. Howard
Doubles
Wang/Urata def. Pegram/Jean, 6-2
Gallo/Gavriella Smith def. Hall/Chambers, 6-2
Velaga/Liza Tkachenko def. Stibbins/Oliver, 6-0
Singles
Smith def. Stibbins, 6-1, 6-1
Wang def. Chambers, 6-4, 6-3
Gallo def. Pelgram, 6-3, 6-3
Roshkoff def. Hall, 6-1, 6-3
Motlagh def. Jean, 6-4, 6-0
Urata def. Oliver, 6-0, 6-2
 
Results vs. Villanova
Doubles
Wang/Velaga def. Dougah/Gondorova, 6-3
Gallo/Roshkoff def. Callahan/Gehrig, 6-4
Tkachenko/Urata def. Kornieva/Rivera, 6-1
Singles
Velaga def. Dougah, 6-3, 6-2
Smith def. Gehrig, 6-1, 6-0
Gallo def. Gondorova, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (2)
Wang def. Kornieva, 6-3, 6-3
Roshkoff def. Stevens, 6-1, 6-2
Urata def. Monti, 6-1, 6-1