Freshmen Step Up as Tennis Completes Saturday Doubleheader Sweep

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall's youth movement paid dividends Saturday, as the Thundering Herd's four freshmen combined to win seven singles matches and played a role in two doubles wins in a doubleheader sweep of Wright State (5-2) and West Virginia State (7-0) at the Huntington Tennis Club.

"Today was a great day of tennis," head coach John Mercer said. "It was great for us to get two home matches in and earn two wins."

The Thundering Herd opened play Saturday by dropping the doubles point to Wright State, as the Raiders cruised to a pair of 6-2 wins at the Nos. 1 and 3 spots. Daniela Dankanych and Matilde Mulatero were defeated by Jillian Milano and Andreea Craciun at the third position, while Madi Ballow and Liz Stefancic fell against Haily Morgan and Madison Riley at the top spot. Anna Smith and Victoria Walter were ahead in their match against Luisa Pelayo and Grace Whitney, 4-1, before it was abandoned after WSU clinched the point.

Marshall shined in singles play against the Raiders, dropping just one of the six matches. Smith opened singles play with a 6-2, 6-2, straight-sets win over Morgan, Wright State's all-conference performer. After Riley gave the Raiders a 2-1 lead in the match with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Stefancic, the Herd rallied to win the final four singles matches. Dankanych started the win streak with a 6-4, 6-0 win over Milano. Walter, the reigning Conference USA Player of the Week, defeated Pelayo at the No. 2 spot in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4. Ballow clinched the match win for the Thundering Herd, rallying from down a set to defeat Craciun in a third-set tiebreaker, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (2). Mulatero closed out the first match of the day with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Whitney.

"I thought this was important for our freshmen," Mercer said. "This gave them a little adversity and they responded really well."

The Herd opened its second match on a mission, earning the doubles point within 25 minutes of starting. Dankanych and Mulatero opened the scoring with a 6-0 blanking of WVSU's Sydney Miller and Hanna Kruhlova. Smith and Walter followed with a 6-3 win over Kayla McKnight and Chante' Malo. Ballow and Stefancic were trailing against Laura Isbey and Kierstin Hensley, 5-3, but their match went unfinished.

Marshall continued its strong singles performances in the second match with six wins out of six possible. Dankanych opened play with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Kruhlova. Smith followed suit with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Hensley at the No. 1 spot. Ballow clinched the match for the second time in a span of three hours with a 6-0, 6-2 win over McKnight. Stefancic earned her first win of the season by defeating Nika Tadic, 6-4, 6-1.

"Both teams we competed against today fought really hard," Mercer said. "We're going to have to be ready on Friday like we were today."

RESULTS

Marshall 5, Wright State 2
Singles
1. Anna Smith (Marshall) def. Haily Morgan (Wright State); 6-2, 6-2
2. Victoria Walter (Marshall) def. Luisa Pelayo (Wright State); 6-3, 6-4
3. Madi Ballow (Marshall) def. Andreea Craciun (Wright State); 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (2)
4. Daniela Dankanych (Marshall) def. Jillian Milano (Wright State); 6-4, 6-0
5. Madison Riley (Wright State) def. Liz Stefancic (Marshall); 6-3, 6-4
6. Matilde Mulatero (Marshall) def. Grace Whitney (Wright State); 6-3, 6-4
Order of finish: 1,5,4,2,3,6
Doubles
1. Haily Morgan/Madison Riley (Wright State) def. Madi Ballow/Liz Stefancic (Marshall); 6-2
2. Anna Smith/Victoria Walter (Marshall) vs. Luisa Pelayo/Grace Whitney (Wright State); 4-1, unfinished
3. Andreea Craciun/Jillian Milano (Wright State) def. Daniela Dankanych/Matilde Mulatero (Marshall); 6-2
Order of finish: 3,1

Marshall 7, West Virginia State 0
Singles
1. Anna Smith (Marshall) def. Kierstin Hensley (West Virginia State); 6-1, 6-0
2. Victoria Walter (Marshall) def. Laura Isbey (West Virginia State); 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-7)
3. Daniela Dankanych (Marshall) def. Hanna Kruhlova (West Virginia State); 6-0, 6-2
4. Madi Ballow (Marshall) def. Kayla McKnight (West Virginia State); 6-0, 6-2
5. Liz Stefancic (Marshall) def. Nika Tadic (West Virginia State); 6-4, 6-1
6. Matilde Mulatero (Marshall) def. Chante' Malo (West Virginia State); 6-0, 6-3
Order of finish: 3,1,4,5,2,6
Doubles
1. Kierstin Hensley/Laura Isbey (West Virginia State) vs. Madi Ballow/Liz Stefancic (Marshall); 5-3, unfinished
2. Anna Smith/Victoria Walter (Marshall) def. Kayla McKnight/Chante' Malo (West Virginia State); 6-3
3. Daniela Dankanych/Matilde Mulatero (Marshall) def. Hanna Kruhlova/Sydney Miller (West Virginia State); 6-0
Order of finish: 3,2

UP NEXT
The Herd stays at home for the third match of its five-match homestand Friday against Atlantic region foe James Madison. First serve from the Huntington Tennis Club is set for 4 p.m.

FOLLOW THE #HERDFAMILY
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Freshmen Step Up as Tennis Completes Saturday Doubleheader Sweep

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Team Stats

Players Mentioned

Madi Ballow

Daniela Dankanych

Matilde Mulatero

Anna Smith

Liz Stefancic

Victoria Walter