Friday, April 02, 2010

Valparaiso’s women’s tennis team dropped the first of its four-match homestand on Friday afternoon, suffering a 6-1 setback against Youngstown State at the Valpo Tennis Complex.

Jackie O’Reilly (Green Bay, Wis./DePere H.S.) continued her winning ways of late, earning her team-leading fifth singles win while also teaming for her second straight doubles victory.  O’Reilly rallied at number five singles for a 3-6, 7-5, 10-1 win against Nicole Haralambopoulos.  She also teamed with Stephanie York (Elkhart, Ind./Jimtown H.S.) for an 8-2 victory over Lauren Hankle and Hannah Patten, the duo’s third win as a team.

“Jackie is really playing well right now,” head coach Traci Young said.  “She has won two in a row both in singles and doubles.”

Youngstown State (5-9, 3-1 Horizon) won the other two doubles contests though for the day’s first point.  Haralambopoulos and Margarita Sadovnikova defeated Brittany O’Reilly (Green Bay, Wis./Southwest H.S.) and Camill Burden (Richmond, Ind./Richmond H.S.) for an 8-2 win at the top spot while Anna Volkova and Tanisha Welch teamed for a win at number two against Katie Bilyeu (Terre Haute, Ind./South Vigo H.S.) and Abby Wright (Sarasota, Fla./Pendleton H.S.) by the same score.

In singles action, Sadovnikova defeated Wright 6-3, 6-4 at the top of the lineup while Hankle topped Brittany O’Reilly 6-1, 6-3 at number two.  Volkova was a 6-3, 6-0 victory against Bilyeu and Welch downed York 6-2, 6-1 at third and fourth singles respectively.  Patten defeated Christine Antrobus (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead H.S.) 6-1, 7-5 to round out the lineup.

“We played a pretty good match,” Young concluded.  “We now have to be ready to go tomorrow.”

Valparaiso (0-9, 0-4) will return to action on Saturday afternoon, hosting Cleveland State.  First serve is set for 1 p.m. at the Valpo Tennis Complex.