@Herd_Tennis Drops 4-3 Heartbreaker to VCU

Feb. 10, 2017

RICHMOND, Va. — After taking the doubles point and the first two singles matches to gain a 3-0 lead, the Marshall women's tennis team dropped the last four matches against VCU in a 4-3 loss at the Thalhimer Tennis Center.

The loss snapped a three-match win streak for the Herd and dropped Marshall's record to 4-2. VCU improved to 5-1 with the win.

Derya Turhan and Anna Pomyatinskaya opened the match with a 7-5 win over Janina Braun and Anna Rasmussen. Stephanie Smith and Daniela Dankanych clinched the doubles point for the Herd with a 7-5 win over Magda Aubets and Gabriela Araujo. Rachael Morales and Maddie Silver were tied in their match against Noumea Witmus and Darya Berezhnaya, 5-5, but the match went unfinished after the Herd clinched the doubles point.

The Herd opened singles play with a pair of wins but was unable to win another match after taking the first two. Morales opened the scoring with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Witmus. Silver gave the Herd a 3-0 lead with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Aubets. Turhan lost for the first time this season, dropping a 6-4, 6-2 decision to Braun. Pomyatinskaya won the first set of her match against Berezhnaya but lost in three sets, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2. Dankanych fell to Araujo, 6-1, 6-3. Smith lost a tightly contested three-set match against Rasmussen, 5-7, 7-6 (6), 6-2.

RESULTS
Doubles
1. Derya Turhan/Anna Pomyatinskaya (Marshall) def. Janina Braun/Anna Rasmussen (VCU); 7-5
2. Rachael Morales/Maddie Silver (Marshall) vs. Darya Berezhnaya/Noumea Witmus (VCU); 5-5, unfinished
3. Stephanie Smith/Daniela Dankanych (Marshall) def. Magda Aubets/Gabriela Araujo (VCU); 7-5
Order of finish: 1, 3, 2

Singles
1. Janina Braun (VCU) def. Derya Turhan (Marshall); 6-4, 6-2
2. Anna Rasmussen (VCU) def. Stephanie Smith (Marshall); 5-7, 7-6 (6), 6-2
3. No. 122 Maddie Silver (Marshall) def. Magda Aubets (VCU); 6-3, 6-2
4. Darya Berezhnaya (VCU) def. Anna Pomyatinskaya (Marshall); 3-6, 6-2, 6-2
5. Rachael Morales (Marshall) def. Noumea Witmus (VCU); 6-4, 6-1
6. Gabriela Araujo (VCU) def. Daniela Dankanych (Marshall); 6-1, 6-3
Order of finish: 5, 3, 1, 4, 6, 2

COACH'S CORNER
Quotes from head coach John Mercer

On the match
Tough loss. We just need to do a better job closing up the match after going up 3-0. We need to keep our focus. Give credit to VCU for continuing to compete hard.

On singles wins by Maddie Silver and Rachael Morales
It was good to see Maddie continue to play well and I thought Rachael played one of her best matches so far this season.

#ONEHERD
For the latest information on Marshall women's tennis, follow @Herd_Tennis on Twitter, @herdtennis on Instagram and Herd Tennis on Facebook.

UP NEXT
The Herd concludes its three-match road trip at Virginia Tech Sunday morning. First serve is set for 10:30 a.m.

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Players Mentioned

Daniela Dankanych

Rachael Morales

Rachael Morales

Anna Pomyatinskaya

Anna Pomyatinskaya

Maddie Silver

Maddie Silver

Stephanie Smith

Stephanie Smith

Derya Turhan

Derya Turhan

Marshall University Athletics