Dukes Bounce Back, Roll Marshall

Friday, February 1

Huntington, W.Va.

4 p.m.

James Madison University

Marshall

2/1/2019 8:57:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Box Score Box Score

HUNTINGTON, W. Va. – James Madison women's tennis bounced back from their first loss of the dual season last weekend at Virginia Tech, with a 6-1 victory over Marshall at the Huntington Tennis Club on Friday afternoon.

The victory improved JMU to 2-1 on the dual season and dropped Marshall to 2-2.

The Dukes got going early in doubles play with victories at No. 1 from senior Abby Amos and freshman Daniela Voloh (6-2) and No. 2 from junior Jona Roka and freshman Daria Afanasyeva (6-2).

The wins claimed the doubles point for JMU and gave them a 1-0 lead heading into singles action.

Roka kept the Dukes momentum going with a dominant 6-1, 6-2 triumph over Marshall's Liz Stefancic at No. 4.

Senior Emma Petersen cleanly took down Madi Ballow in straight-set fashion (6-4, 6-3) to give JMU a 3-0 lead and on the cusp of clinching match point.

Match point was clinched minutes later by Voloh who defeated Victoria Walter 6-4, 6-2 to clinch match point for the Dukes at 4-0.

Amos continued the Dukes positive play, battling back after dropping the first set, to drop just four games in the final two sets to claim a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 2 and increase the JMU lead to 5-0.

Afanasyeva dropped the only point for JMU on the afternoon in a tough, hard-fought three-set match, that came down to a third-set super-tiebreak in which she fell to the Thundering Herd's Anna Smith 6-7(6), 6-4, 1-0 (11-9) at No. 1.

Freshman Michelle Los Arcos Balasch made her collegiate debut to close out the afternoon and JMU's 6-1 win, with a 6-4, 6-3 victory at No. 6 over Marshall's Matilde Mulatero for her first collegiate win.

SENIORS LEAD BY EXAMPLE
Seniors Petersen and Amos lead the way for JMU going a combined 3-0 on the afternoon. Amos nabbed wins in both doubles and singles, while Petersen claimed the Dukes third point in singles action, while her doubles match went unfinished with her and freshman Amanda Nord leading 5-4.

QUOTING SENIOR EMMA PETERSEN
"Today was a really strong group performance overall," Petersen said. "The loss last weekend motivated us to show up ready to fight for each other and get the win. It's early in the season, but I'm already so proud of the young squad we have this year and I think we have so much potential moving forward."