No. 45 Hokies defeat No. 39 Old Dominion, 4-3

Tech wins four singles matches to defeat Monarchs

March 9, 2018

	F
Charlotte	10
Virginia Tech	5
Box Score

NORFOLK, Va. – The 45th-ranked Virginia Tech women’s tennis team came out strong in singles as the Hokies claimed four matches to secure the 4-3 win over No. 39 Old Dominion on Friday afternoon at the Folkes-Stevens Tennis Center in Norfolk, Virginia.

Tech (9-2) dropped the doubles point to trail in the Monarchs (11-4) heading into singles.

The Hokies were down 2-0 after giving up the match on court three, but Nika Kozar got Tech on the board as she claimed the win at four, defeating Tori Olivarez 6-4, 6-4. Tech tied it up with Nina Sorkin’s win on court six, downing Natalya Malenko 7-5, 6-0.

Freshman Nika Kozar on the team energy that pushed the #Hokies to the win! 👏🙌👏🙌

🦃🎾 pic.twitter.com/RhJohH2R9Y

— VT Women's Tennis (@HokiesWTennis) March 10, 2018

Tech pulled into the lead on court one where No. 52 Natalie Novotna battled ODU’s Holly Hutchinson. Novotna won the opening set 6-2, but Hutchinson came back strong to win the second 6-2. In the final set, Novotna rallied to secure the win 6-4.

The Hokies clinched the match at the five with Katherine Butler’s win over Adriana Rajkovic. Butler gave up the opening set 6-2, but rallied to hold on for the 7-5 win in the second. In the final set, Butler rolled past Rajkovic to take it 6-3.

Old Dominion won the final match at court two in a tough three set match. The Hokies’ Caroline Daxhelet picked up the win in the opening set 7-5, but Nataliia Vlasova won the second 6-3. The two kept it close in the final set, but Vlasova held on for the 7-5 win.

Virginia Tech will be back on the court on Saturday, March 10 against Tulane. The teams will play a neutral site match at the Folkes-Stevens Tennis Center beginning at 1 p.m.

Singles
1. #52 Natalie Novotna (VT) def. Holly Hutchinson (ODU) 6-1, 2-6, 6-4
2. Nataliia Vlasova (ODU) def. Caroline Daxhelet (VT) 5-7, 6-3, 7-5
3. Yulia Starodubtseva (ODU) def. Elena Cerezo-Codina (VT) 6-2, 6-2
4. Nika Kozar (VT) def. Tori Olivarez (ODU) 6-4, 6-4
5. Katherine Butler (VT) def. Adriana Rajkovic (ODU) 2-6, 7-5, 6-3
6. Nina Sorkin (VT) def. Natalya Malenko (ODU) 7-5, 6-0
Order of finish: 3,4,6,1,5,2

Doubles
1. Cerezo-Codina/Daxhelet (VT) vs. Olivarez/Vlasova (ODU) 5-2 dnf
2. Hutchinson/Malenko (ODU) def. Butler/Novotna (VT) 6-3
3. Rajkovic/Starodubtseva (ODU) def. Kozar/Sorkin (VT) 6-2
Order of finish: 3,2

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