WOMEN’S TENNIS BATTLES NATIONALLY-RANKED VIRGINIA TECH

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RESULTS

BLACKSBURG, Va. – Despite a 7-0 loss to No. 57 Virginia Tech Sunday at the Hokies' Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center, the Radford women's tennis team competed well in a dual that was much closer than the final score.

"The match was more competitive than what the final score shows," head coach Martin Sayer pointed out following the match. "For us to play someone of Virginia Tech's caliber is great preparation for the upcoming season. I believe we were a little fatigued as the match wore on, and Tech showed their quality to earn the result. Our execution needs to improve and will improve, as will our mental and physical fitness."

Behind wins at No. 1 and No. 2, the Hokies (1-0) captured the doubles point. Despite falling behind 5-0 on court one against Tech's No. 36-ranked tandem of Raluca Mita and Francesca Fusinato, the Highlanders' Taylor Newman and Gemma Valls battled back to win the next three games to make things interesting. However, Mita claimed the result for the Hokies on her serve to prevail, 6-3.

On court two, Natalie Sayer and Taylor Fay tied their counterparts, Caroline Daxhelet and Kelly Williford, at 2-2 in the early going. A late 4-0 rally by the Hokies clinched the decision, 6-2, and the doubles point for Tech.

At the No. 3 position, Grace Sarver and Meg Napolitano only trailed Katherine Butler and Sansitha Nandakumar, 5-3, when the match was abandoned due to the doubles point being decided.

The Hokies clinched the match with singles wins at Nos. 1, 2 and 4.

RU (0-1) has a week to prepare for its next match, a Jan. 25 dual against East Tennessee State in Johnson City, Tenn. First serve is set for 9 a.m.

No. 57 Virginia Tech (7) def. Radford (0)
Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center (Blacksburg, Va.)
Sunday, January 18, 2015

Doubles competition
1. No. 36 Raluca Mita / Francesca Fusinato (VT) def. Taylor Newman / Gemma Valls (RU), 6-3
2. Caroline Daxhelet / Kelly Williford (VT) def. Natalie Sayer / Taylor Fay, 6-2
3. Katherine Butler / Sansitha Nandakumar (VT) led Grace Sarver / Meg Napolitano (RU), 5-3

Order of finish: 2, 1

Singles competition
1. Francesca Fusinato (VT) def. Natalie Sayer (RU), 6-3, 6-1
2. Elena Cerezo-Codina (VT) def. Taylor Newman (RU), 6-1, 6-0
3. Kelly Williford (VT) def. Gemma Valls (RU), 7-5, 6-3
4. Caroline Daxhelet (VT) def. Taylor Fay (RU), 6-0, 6-0
5. Katherine Butler (VT) def. Grace Sarver (RU), 6-4, 6-1
6. Sansitha Nandakumar (VT) def. Meg Napolitano (RU), 6-3, 6-3

Order of finish: 4, 2, 1*, 6, 5, 3

Match Notes
Radford (0-1)
No. 57 Virginia Tech (1-0)

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Players Mentioned

Taylor Fay: 5' 4"; Junior

Meg Napolitano: 5' 9"; Senior

Taylor Newman: 5' 2"; Senior

Grace Sarver: 5' 2"; Junior

Gemma Valls: 5' 4"; Senior

Natalie Sayer: 5' 8"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Taylor Fay
: 5' 4"; Junior

Meg Napolitano
: 5' 9"; Senior

Taylor Newman
: 5' 2"; Senior

Grace Sarver
: 5' 2"; Junior

Gemma Valls
: 5' 4"; Senior

Natalie Sayer
: 5' 8"; Freshman