Marshall Tennis Blanks New Orleans, Wins Third Straight

NEW ORLEANS – Marshall's season-long five-match road trip started on a positive note Friday, as the Thundering Herd defeated the New Orleans Privateers, 7-0, to win its third straight match.

"It was good to get a win in the first match of our four-match spring break trip," head coach John Mercer said.

The Thundering Herd rallied to take the doubles point for the third straight match. After Victoria Walter and Matilde Mulatero fell to UNO's Claudette Gilhespie and Lea Alguacil, 6-2, Liz Stefancic and Madi Ballow defeated the Privateers' Brittany Johnson and Salma Abdelrahim, 6-4, for their fourth straight doubles win. In the deciding match, Anna Smith and Daniela Dankanych broke serve to force a tiebreak against Trang Dao and Ank Vullings, then responded to win the tiebreaker 7-1 to clinch the point for the Herd.

Marshall's momentum from doubles play carried into singles play, as the Herd swept the six matches. Stefancic started the scoring by winning her fifth straight match, a 6-3, 6-3 win over Johnson. Dankanych played a close first set against Mar Gendra before cruising to a 7-6(6), 6-0 win in straight sets. Ballow clinched the match win for the Herd with a 6-0, 7-6(5) win over Alguacil. Walter won in a super tiebreak for the second straight match, defeating Abdelrahim, 6-4, 4-6, 1-0(5). Mulatero won in straight sets over Yurina Asai, 6-3, 6-3. Smith closed out the match with a 7-6(2), 6-4 win over Vullings.

"We're looking forward to playing tomorrow at Tulane," Mercer said. "It's going to be a tough match. We'll see how much better we've gotten this season."

RESULTS
Singles
1. Anna Smith (MAR) def. Ank Vullings (UNO) 7-6 (7-2), 6-4
2. Victoria Walter (MAR) def. Salma Abdelrahim (UNO) 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (10-5)
3. Daniela Dankanych (MAR) def. Mar Gendra (UNO) 7-6 (8-6), 6-0
4. Liz Stefancic (MAR) def. Brittany Johnson (UNO) 6-3, 6-3
5. Madi Ballow (MAR) def. Lea Alguacil (UNO) 6-0, 7-6 (7-5)
6. Matilde Mulatero (MAR) def. Yurina Asai (UNO) 6-3, 6-3
Order of finish: 4,3,5,2,6,1
Doubles
1. Anna Smith/Daniela Dankanych (MAR) def. Trang Dao/Ank Vullings (UNO) 7-6 (7-1)
2. Madi Ballow/Liz Stefancic (MAR) def. Brittany Johnson/Salma Abdelrahim (UNO) 6-4
3. Claudette Gilhespie/Lea Alguacil (UNO) def. Victoria Walter/Matilde Mulatero (MAR) 6-2
Order of finish: 3,2,1

UP NEXT
The Herd remains in New Orleans for a Saturday matinee match at Tulane. First serve is set for 2 p.m.

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Marshall Tennis Blanks New Orleans, Wins Third Straight

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Team Stats

Players Mentioned

Madi Ballow

Daniela Dankanych

Matilde Mulatero

Anna Smith

Liz Stefancic

Victoria Walter