Virginia Defeats No. 48 Virginia Tech Sunday
March 5, 2017
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – It came down to the final match of the day, but the Cavaliers answered the challenge as Virginia defeated No. 48 Virginia Tech by a score of 4-3 on Sunday (March 5) at the Boar’s Head Sports Club.
After picking up the doubles point, Virginia freshmen Rosie Johanson (Abbotsford, British Columbia) and Chloe Gullickson (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) combined with junior Teodora Radosavljevic (Belgrade, Serbia) for singles victories to secure the win in the Commonwealth Clash match.
Today’s match was sponsored by Virginia529, the official college savings plan of University of Virginia Athletics. With Virginia’s victory, the Hoos have earned a point in the Virginia529 Commonwealth Clash. The score for the Clash is now University of Virginia – 6 and Virginia Tech – 9. Learn more about Virginia529 and this competition at TheCommmonwealthClash.com.
The tone for the match was set early with two of three doubles matches going to a tie break as the Cavaliers and Hokies battled throughout the day in several nip-and-tuck matches.
Virginia took the early lead, claiming the doubles point with wins on courts two and three. The duo of Johanson and Meghan Kelley (Falmouth, Maine) won 6-2 on court two, while the matches on courts one and three went into tiebreaks. The Cavaliers pairing of Gullickson and Camille Favero (Sacramento, Calif.) finished first, clinching the doubles point with a 7-6 (7) win.
In singles action, the Cavaliers extended the lead quickly as Johanson posted a straight-set win over Elena Cerezo-Codina on court two, winning 6-3, 6-2. However, Virginia Tech answered back, grabbing wins on courts three and six within minutes of each other tie the match at 2-2.
Gullickson gave Virginia the lead for the second time on the afternoon, fighting through a three-set battle with No. 92 Caroline Daxhelet on court four. The Cavalier freshman defeated the Hokie junior 6-1, 3-6, 6-3.
Virginia Tech again tied the match with a win on court one as all eyes shifted to court five for the deciding point which was won by Virginia as Radosavljevic took control in a second-set tiebreak to win 7-5, 7-6 (1) over Nancy Ghanem and secure the victory.
Virginia will return to action next week, traveling to face a pair of nationally-ranked foes from the Big 10. The Cavaliers will face No. 2 Ohio State at 6 p.m. on Wednesday (March 8) before playing at No. 4 Michigan on Friday (March 10) at 2:30 p.m.
Virginia 4, No. 48 Virginia Tech 3
Singles
Francesca Fusinato def. No. 48 Cassie Mercer, 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-3
No. 66 Rosie Johanson def. Elena Cerezo-Codina, 6-3, 6-2
Natalie Novotna def. Meghan Kelley, 6-4, 7-6 (2)
Chloe Gullickson def. No. 92 Caroline Daxhelet, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3
Teodora Radosavljevic def. Nancy Ghanem, 7-5, 7-6 (1)
Sansitha Nandakumar def. Hunter Bleser, 6-3, 7-5
Order of Finish: 2, 6, 3, 4, 1, 5
Doubles
No. 40 Gullickson/Mercer vs. Cerezo-Codina/Daxhelet, 6-6 (susp.)
Johanson/Kelley def. Butler/Fusinato, 6-2
Bleser/Favero vs. Nandakumar/Novotna, 7-6 (7)
Order of Finish: 2, 3