Akron, Ohio – The UMBC women's tennis team completed play at the Akron Shootout on Sunday by capturing the singles competition over Youngstown State, 4-2, and blanking Cleveland State, 3-0, in doubles.
The Retrievers won all three doubles competitions in the three-day event, taking eight of the nine matches and took two of three singles events.
UMBC captured the top four flights in singles and were led by the play of Mariami Dolashvili (Alushta, Ukraine). The junior went undefeated in six matches this weekend, competing at No. 1 singles and doubles. Dolashvili edged Annina Brendel, of Youngstown 6-4, 6-3. Freshman Maria Siopacha (Limassol, Cyprus) also won in straight sets, knocking off the Penguins' Dominika Lackova, 6-2, 6-3.
The other four singles matches went to third-set super tie-breakers. UMBC senior Madlena Kurasz (Zlotoryja, Poland) and junior Hanna Victorsson (Hagersten, Sweden) both won their first sets and captured narrow tie-breakers, 10-8 and 10-7 respectively to capture their matches.
In doubles versus the Vikings, the No. 1 tandem of Dolashvili/Siopacha posted a solid 6-3 over the duo of Morgan Nix/Victoria Bensimon. Victorsson and sophomore Charlotte Tonjann (Bussum, The Netherlands) and seniors Kurasz and Shannon Cleary (Little Bay, NSW, Australia) won tight 7-6 (8-6) and 7-5 decisions to sweep Cleveland State.
The Retrievers return home and will host the UMBC Fall Invitational with Richmond, Delaware and Villanova, beginning on Friday, Sept. 25.
Akron Shootout
UMBC 4, Youngstown State 2 (singles)
No. 1 Mariami Dolashvili, UMBC def. Annina Brendel, YS, 6-4, 6-3
No. 2 Maria Siopacha, UMBC, def. Dominika Lackova, YS, 6-2, 6-3
No. 3 Madlena Kurasz, UMBC, def. Sofia Macia, YS, 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (8)
No. 4 Hanna Victorsson, UMBC def. Nehel Sohni, YS, 6-4, 5-7, 1-0 (7)
No. 5 Neolla Nsimba, YS, def. Laura Ambrozic, UMBC, 6-7, 6-3, 1-0 (10)
No. 6 Juliana Heino, YS, def. Charlotte Tonjann, UMBC, 5-7, 6-2, 1-0 (3)
UMBC 3, Cleveland State 0 (doubles)
No. 1 Siopacha/Dolashvili, UMBC def. Nix/Bensimon, CS, 6-3
No. 2 Hanna Victorsson/Charlotte Tonjann, UMBC def. Gbadanos/Orange, CS, 7-6 (6)
No. 3 Shannon Cleary/Madlena Kurasz, UMBC, def. Shobur/Quillin, YS, 7-5
