Dukes Fall to Liberty in Sunday Bout

Sunday, February 4

Lynchburg, Va.

Noon

James Madison University

Liberty

2/4/2024 2:45:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Box Score

LYNCHBURG, Va. – James Madison women's tennis battled tough against Liberty before suffering a 4-0 setback on Sunday afternoon at the Liberty Indoor Tennis Center.

The Flames improved to 3-1 on the year while the Dukes dropped their second straight match to dip to 2-4.

Liberty rallied in doubles play, winning the opening point in a tiebreak, while registering three straight-set singles victories. JMU held leads on two courts while nearing a third set on another when the match finished.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Doubles Play

JMU grabbed the early doubles advantage on court one, where Daria Munteanu and Ines Oliveira downed Maria Juliana Parra Romero and Sadie Daavettila, 6-3.
JMU's duo of Cate Broerman and Hope Moulin won consecutive games to pull within 5-4 on court two before Daniella O'Neill and Priscila Janikian claimed the 6-4 victory.
The doubles point would be decided in a tiebreak but not before big comebacks on both sides late in the match.
The team of Hayley Glen and Reka Matko faced three match points while down 5-4 but battled back to tie the bout at 5-5. In the ensuing game, Liberty's duo of Marina Davtyan and Maria Turchetto won three consecutive points while down 40-15 to take a 6-5 lead. After JMU forced a tiebreak, the Flames' tandem outlasted JMU in a tiebreak, winning the match, 7-6 (1).

Singles Play

Liberty doubles its lead to 2-0 on court three, as Esther Lovato didn't concede a game in the second set to defeat Oliveira, 6-3, 6-0.
The lead extended to 3-0, as Daavettila pulled away from Sara Sadadinovic in the second set for a 6-3, 6-3 win on court six.
The hosts clinched the match on court five, as Turchetto fended off Matko in. 6-3, 6-4 win.
Three other matches went unfinished, as the Dukes led on two courts.
Munteanu was up a set on Parra Romero on court one, leading 6-2, 2-3, while Broerman was ahead of Davtyan, 6-1, 3-4, on court two.

UP NEXT
JMU is back on the road next weekend when it travels to the Queen City to battle Charlotte on Friday, Feb. 9. The opening serve is set for an 11 a.m. start from the Halton-Wagner Tennis Complex.