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BLACKSBURG, Va. - The Virginia Tech women’s tennis team dropped the first match of the day, 5-2, Saturday afternoon against No. 29 Virginia Commonwealth. The Rams improved to 6-2 on the year, while Tech fell to 3-3 on the year. The Hokies will play Davidson later Saturday at 4 p.m. at the Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center on the Virginia Tech campus.

Tech, ranked No. 61 in this week’s ITA national poll, dropped two of the three doubles matches to relinquish the first point of the day, then lost four of the six singles contests.

In singles action, Martha Blakely (So. Reading, Pa.) defeated Ana Bara, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3, in the No. 1 match and Courtney Rauscher (So., Evans, Ga.) won her No. 6 contest, 3-6, 6-4, 2-1 ret. over Olena Leonchuk.

In other single results, Christin Newman (Fr., Greensboro, N.C.) lost a tough, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, No. 2 match against Josefin Hjertquist, Yasmin Hamza (Jr., Cairo, Egypt) fell, 6-4, 6-1, at No. 3 to Kateryna Yergina, Shannon Betts (So., Newnan, Ga.) dropped her No. 4 contest, 6-4, 7-5, versus Alex Bara and Emily Lauten (Fr., Marietta, Ga.) lost, 6-2, 6-2, at No. 6 to Laura Burns.

Virginia Commonwealth won a tight doubles competition to open the day as Betts/Rauscher lost, 8-4, to Alex Bara/Leonchuk at No. 3, but the Hokies tied the doubles competition as Blakely/Lauten won, 8-6, at No. 1 against Anna Bara/Hjertquist. The Rams captured the point as Hamza/Holly Johnson (Jr., Tallahassee, Fla.) lost, 8-6, at No. 2 versus Burns/Yergina.

Following the second match of the day against Davidson, Tech will open ACC action on Feb. 26, at 11 a.m., at Maryland.

#29 Virginia Commonwealth 5, #61 Virginia Tech 2
Singles
1. Martha Blakely (VT) def. Ana Bara (VCU) 6-4, 1-6, 6-3
2. Josefin Hjertquist (VCU) def. Christin Newman (VT) 6-3, 2-6, 6-4
3. Kateryna Yergina (VCU) def. Yasmin Hamza (VT) 6-4, 6-1
4. Alex Bara (VCU) def. Shannon Betts (VT) 6-4, 7-5
5. Courtney Rauscher (VT) def. Olena Leonchuk (VCU) 3-6, 6-4, 2-1 ret.
6. Laura Burns (VCU) def. Emily Lauten (VT) 6-2, 6-2
Order of finish: 6, 3, 1, 4*, 5, 2

Doubles
1. Blakely/Lauten (VT) def. Anna Bara/Hjertquist (VCU) 8-6
2. Burns/Yergina (VCU) def. Hamza/Holly Johnson (VT) 8-6
3. Alex Bara/Leonchuk (VCU) def. Betts/Rauscher (VT) 8-4
Order of finish: 3,1, 2*

For updates on Virginia Tech women's tennis, follow the Hokies on Twitter (@VT_WTennis).