Dukes Split Home Opener with Howard and ECU

Saturday, January 25

Harrisonburg, Va.

10 a.m.

James Madison University

ECU

1/25/2020 8:40:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

HARRISONBURG, Va. - James Madison women's tennis opened its spring season Saturday with a split against ECU and Howard at the East Campus Tennis Courts.

The Dukes dropped a 4-3 decision to ECU in the first match, but came back in the evening to sweep Howard, 7-0, for their first win of the year.

MATCH 1: ECU 4, James Madison 3
JMU opened the spring dual season with a 4-3 setback, as ECU rallied by winning the final two singles matches to claim the victory.

Redshirt sophomore Kylie Moulin went 2-0 with wins in both doubles and singles. JMU claimed the doubles points, before ECU won four of six singles matches to edge the Dukes.

JMU opened the match with wins at #2 and #3 doubles for the early 1-0 lead. Senior Jona Roka and sophomore Daria Afanasyeva cruised to a 6-3 victory at #2 doubles against ECU's Minette Van Vreden and Hanna Axelsson. Moulin and sophomore Amanda Nord secured the point at #3 doubles with a tight 7-6(7) win.

After ECU tied the match at win with a win at #1 singles, Moulin cruised 6-3, 6-2 on court three against Michelle Ncube, giving JMU a 2-1 advantage. ECU once again tied the match at 2-2 before sophomore Daniela Voloh dispatched Nastja Rettich, giving the lead back to JMU.

Nord and sophomore Natalia Nikolopoulou both forced a third set after falling behind early. Nord eventually fell 2-6, 6-0, 2-6 to Van Vreden on court six, and Nikolopoulou dropped a heartbreaking 4-6, 6-4, 6-7(5) decision to Axelsson, allowing ECU to fend off JMU.

MATCH 2: JMU 7, Howard 0
JMU had a decisive 7-0 win over Howard in the nightcap, resulting in its first dual-match win of the season.

The Dukes rolled in doubles with wins at #2 and #3 to give them a 1-0 lead heading into singles play. The doubles pairs of Roka and Afanasyeva and Nord and Moulin each won their matches by a score of 6-1.

All six singles matches were won in straight sets, with Afanasyeva securing the first singles point with a dominating 6-1, 6-0 victory at #1 against Yassmine Khiri.

Voloh and Roka clinched the next two singles points, securing the match for the Dukes. Voloh rolled 6-1, 6-2 at #3 singles versus Yemisi Ifederu, and Roka notched her first win of the spring in a 6-0, 6-3 triumph over Sloane Williams at #2.

In the second half of singles play, Nord and sophomores Shannon McCarthy and Michelle Los Arcos also claimed their first victories of the dual campaign to round out the Dukes' day.

Nord downed Hana El Sherif 6-4, 6-1 at the #4 spot, Los Arcos cruised by Alexandria Blackwell 6-0, 6-1 at #5 and McCarthy closed the match beating Kendall Addison by scores of 6-1, 6-0 at #6.

QUOTING HEAD COACH SHELLEY JAUDON
"I'm really pleased with the way we competed in both matches today. This was a great way for our team to kick off the spring season, as we learned a lot about ourselves and the type of team we are working to be. No doubt we got better today and look forward to getting back out on the court next weekend in Blacksburg."

UP NEXT
The Dukes will face Winthrop in Blacksburg, Va. at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1.