Marshall University Athletics
@Herd_Tennis Continues Road Swing at VCU
2/9/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - The Marshall women's tennis team continues its three-match road trip this weekend with a match at VCU Friday afternoon. First serve is set for 2 p.m.
HAVE YOU HERD?
Marshall is 4-1 following its first road win of the season, a 6-1 victory over the Cincinnati Bearcats on Feb. 3. The Herd has won three consecutive matches since dropping a home contest to Kentucky on Jan. 18.
The Herd boasts three players with undefeated singles records. Reigning Conference USA Player of the Year Derya Turhan has a 4-0 singles record at the No. 1 spot. Turhan has not dropped a set this season. Stephanie Smith has a 4-0 record playing at the No. 2 spot. Smith won in a third set tiebreaker in her last match. Daniela Dankanych has a 4-0 record at the No. 6 spot. Dankanych rallied after dropping the first set of her last match to win in three sets over (insert opponent name here), 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, to clinch the match win for the Herd against Cincinnati. Maddie Silver has a 4-0 record when playing at the No. 3 spot. Silver's lone loss of the season came when playing at the No. 2 spot.
Marshall has one undefeated doubles team. The duo of Rachael Morales and Maddie Silver have won 16 consecutive doubles matches dating back to the 2015 season. The pair is 4-0 this season at the No. 2 spot.
SCOUTING THE RAMS
VCU is currently 4-1 with wins over Penn State, Morgan State, George Mason and Temple. The lone defeat for the Rams this season came in their last match against West Virginia. VCU swept the field at its VCU 4-1 Invitational to begin the season.
The Rams are the defending Atlantic 10 Conference champions and have won the last four conference titles. VCU reached the first round of the NCAA Tournament last year before falling to Duke. VCU has reached the NCAA Tournament in 11 consecutive seasons. The Rams have not won an NCAA Tournament match since reaching the Sweet 16 in 2006.
VCU is led by Janina Braun, who is 5-0 at the No. 2 spot. Anna Rasmussen is 3-2 at the No. 1 spot for the Rams. VCU's pairing of Darya Berezhnaya and Noumea Witmus is 2-0 in dual match play with wins at the Nos. 1 and 2 spots. Witmus and Magda Aubets are 1-0 at the No. 1 spot for the Rams.
THE LAST MEETING
VCU 4, Marshall 3
Mar. 6, 2016
Marshall dropped its sixth consecutive match, a 4-3 decision to VCU at the Huntington Tennis Club. The Herd dropped to 4-8 on the season following the loss.
The Herd took the doubles points with wins by the pairs of Turhan and Anna Pomyatinskaya and Silver and Morales. Marshall won just two of the six singles matches, with Silver and Marija Bogicevic winning matches for the Herd. Turhan lost for just the second time during the 2016 season.
#ONEHERD
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UP NEXT
The Herd finishes its three-match road trip at Virginia Tech Sunday morning. First serve is set for 10:30 a.m.
