Hokies return home for doubleheader vs. Marshall, Radford

Tech takes on Marshall at 10:30 a.m., followed by Radford at 4 p.m.

February 11, 2017

BLACKSBURG – The Virginia Tech women’s tennis team returns home for a doubleheader event on Sunday, Feb. 12, as it plays host to Marshall at 10:30 a.m. and Radford at 4 p.m., held at the Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center on the university’s campus.

“It’s always nice to play at home, and we are looking forward to the weekend,” said coach Terry-Ann Zawacki Woods. “We are familiar with both Marshall and Radford, and we have the utmost respect for both their programs. The team has been preparing hard all week, and we are expecting some great tennis to be played here in Blacksburg.”

Sunday’s match against Radford is the Hokies’ annual “Pink Match,” and all fans are encouraged to wear pink in support of breast cancer. Admission is free, and the first 50 fans through the door will receive a free VT pink water bottle.

Tech (4-1) played its first true road match of the season when it traveled to West Lafayette, Indiana, to face Purdue on Feb. 4. The Hokies rolled to a 7-0 win over the Boilermakers, moving to 4-1 overall on the season. The doubles tandems of Caroline Daxhelet and Elena Cerezo-Codina and Francesca Fusinato and Katherine Butler won in doubles to take the doubles point, and then the Hokies cruised in singles. Freshman Natalie Novotna provided the winning point when she won 7-6, 6-4 in the No. 4 spot.

Of note, Fusinato checked in at No. 66 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Top 100 Singles Poll for the first time this season. The Feltre Belluno, Italy, native holds a team-best 4-1 singles mark on court one and has record two wins over ranked opponents. Daxhelet came in at No. 52, holding a 1-1 dual-match record on court three. Daxhelet and Cerezo-Codina also moved up eight spots and are ranked No. 51, recording a 2-1 mark at the No. 1 slot.

Marshall (4-2) snapped a three-game win streak, as the team dropped a 4-3 battle at VCU on Friday afternoon. The Thundering Herd boasts three players with a 4-1 singles records – Derya Turhan, Stephanie Smith and Daniela Dankanych – and one undefeated doubles team. The duo of Rachael Morales and Maddie Silver also have won 16 consecutive doubles matches dating back to the 2015 season.

Radford (0-2) opened its season with back-to-back losses at Elon (7-0) and James Madison (7-0), respectively. Following a two-week hiatus, Radford will play Appalachian State in its home opener this afternoon, before the squad squares off against Tech on Sunday.

Of note, the Hokies most recently competed against the Thundering Herd and the Highlanders at the 2016 Hokie Fall Invitational back in October.

Following the matches on Sunday, the Hokies will travel to Morgantown, West Virginia, as the team squares off against the Mountaineers Saturday, Feb. 18, at 12 p.m.

Fans can follow all the action during each match of the 2017 season by following the squad on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

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