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BLACKSBURG, Va. – The Virginia Tech women’s tennis team picked up its first win of the season as it opened 2011 play with a 6-1 defeat of Richmond on Sunday morning at the Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center on the Tech campus. The Hokies improve to 1-0 on the year, while the Spiders fall to 0-2 so far this season.

Yasmin Hamza (Sr., Cairo, Egypt) and Martha Blakely (Jr., Reading, Pa.) both kicked off in singles play in a positive way, as each player earned a two-set victory for the Hokies in the top two positions. First, Hamza defeated Sydney Grant, 6-3, 6-0, in the second spot, and Blakely followed close behind with a 6-1, 6-1 defeat of Helen Cunningham.

Tea Ivanovic (Fr., Antwerp, Belgium) added to Tech’s success when she dominated the third spot, defeating Kelly Tidwell, 6-2, 6-0. Picking up another win for the Hokies was Emily Lauten (So., Marietta, Ga.), as she owned the fourth spot and grabbed a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Alexandra Smyth.

Isel Martinez-Marcos (Fr., Esparreguera, Spain), who was the only Hokie to drop her first set, eventually fell in a hard-fought battle, but Richmond’s Joanna Matuszcyk walked away with the 6-4, 2-6, 10-8 victory in the No. 5 spot.

The sixth spot battle between Courtney Rauscher (So., Evans, Ga.) and Richmond’s Elizabeth Sims came down to the wire, but Rauscher eventually earned the win for the Hokie,s 6-4, 7-6(6), 12-10.

In doubles action, Katie Blow (Jr., Richmond, Va.)/ Holly Johnson (Sr., Tallahassee, Fla.) picked up the first Tech victory of the day as they defeated Tidwell/ Sims, 8-3, in the third spot. Shannon Betts (Jr., Newnan, Ga.)/ Martinez-Marcos fell just short to Grant/ Matuszcyk, 8-5, in the No. 2 spot, but the top flight match would end in favor of the Hokies, as Blakely/ Rauscher defeated Richmond’s Cunningham/ Smyth combination, 8-6, to earn the doubles point.

The Hokies will face UNC Greensboro later this afternoon, and will remain at home through next weekend. They will host Tennessee at Noon on Saturday, Feb. 5 and then Marshall the very next day at 1 p.m.

Results

Singles
Martha Blakely (Virginia Tech) def. Helen Cunningham (Richmond) 6-1, 6-1
Yasmin Hamza (Virginia Tech) def. Sydney Grant (Richmond) 6-3, 6-0
Tea Ivanovic (Virginia Tech) def. Kelly Tidwell (Richmond) 6-2, 6-0
Emily Lauten (Virginia Tech) def. Alexandra Smyth (Richmond) 6-1, 6-2

Joanna Matuszcyk (Richmond) def. Isel Martinez-Marcos (Virginia Tech) 6-4, 2-6, 10-8
Courtney Rauscher (Virginia Tech) def. Elizabeth Sims (Richmond) 6-4, 7-6(6), 12-10

Doubles
Blakely/ Rauscher (Virginia Tech) def. Cunningham/ Smyth (Richmond), 8-6

Grant/ Matuszcyk (Richmond) def. Shannon Betts/Martinez-Marcos (Virginia Tech), 8-5

Katie Blow/ Holly Johnson (Virginia Tech) def. Tidwell/Sims (Richmond), 8-3

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