FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y. - The LIU Brooklyn women's tennis team dropped its first dual match of the season Wednesday afternoon, falling to local rival St. John's, 7-0 at the USTA Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y. The Red Storm (2-1) swept the doubles point, and had wins in all six singles spots to bump the Blackbirds to 1-1 this season.
In doubles, St. John's had wins at the Nos. 2 and 3 spots, 6-0, to clinch the doubles point. At No. 2, Marine Dans and Nancy Zonneveld fell to Natalie Valvulina and Anna Morozova, while Isabella Wagener and Brittany Thompson dropped their match at No.3 to Zofia Stanisz and Jaide Collins. In the No.1 doubles spot, Sanne Louwers and Caroline Koenigsfeldt were down, 3-2 to Anastasia Polykova and Stephanie Elgegren when the match was suspended due to the point being determined.
In singles, the Blackbirds had two tough three set losses at the top of the lineup, while all six singles spots were wins for the Red Storm. At No. 6, Thompson fell to Preotescu, 6-0, 6-1, while Stanisz had a 6-0, 6-2 win over Zonneveld at No. 5. St. John's also had straight set wins at Nos. 3 and 4, as Vavulina defeated Koenigsfeldt, 6-1, 6-1, and Elgegren beat Wagener, 6-4, 6-0.
The Blackbirds fought hard battles in the top two spots. Dans rallied back from a first set loss in the No.2 spot to win the second set, 6-2, but eventually fell to Morzova in the tiebreaker, 6-4, 2-6, 10-4. And Louwers had a strong first set win over Polyakova at No.1 singles, 7-5, before falling in the second set and tiebreaker, 5-7, 6-3, 10-7.
Up next, the Blackbirds hit the road for two Rhode Island matches, taking on Providence College, Friday, February 13 at 6 p.m., and the University of Rhode Island, Saturday, February 14 at 8 p.m.
St. John's 7, LIU Brooklyn 0
Doubles
1. Sanne Louwers/Caroline Koenigsfeldt (LIU) vs. Anastasia Polyakova/Stephanie Elgegren (STJN) 2-3, unfinished
2. Natalie Vavulina/Anna Morozova (STJN) def. Marine Dans/Nancy Zonneveld (LIU) 6-0
3. Zofia Stanisz/Jaide Collins (STJN) def. Isabella Wagener/Brittany Thompson (LIU) 6-0
Singles
1. Anastasia Polyakova (STJN) def. Louwers (LIU) 5-7, 6-3, 10-7
2. Anna Morozova (STJN) def. Dans (LIU) 6-4, 2-6, 10-8
3. Natalie Vavulina (STJN) def. Koenigsfeldt (LIU) 6-1, 6-1
4. Stephanie Elgegren (STJN) def. Wagener (LIU) 6-4, 6-0
5. Zofia Stanisz (STJN) def. Zonneveld (LIU) 6-0, 6-2
6. Irina Preotescu (STJN) def. Thompson (LIU) 6-0, 6-1