Rams roll into CAA finals

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VCUMT ROLL INTO CAA SEMIFINALS WITH 4-0 TRIUMPH
NORFOLK, Va. – Defending-champion Virginia Commonwealth University moved on to the Colonial Athletic Association semifinals with a 4-0 triumph over No. 7 Georgia State Friday at Old Dominion’s Folkes-Stevens Tennis Center. With the victory, the Rams (16-8) have earned a Saturday, 1 p.m. match-up with either No. 3 William & Mary or No. 6 James Madison.
Second-seeded VCU won the doubles point with an 8-5 triumph by Emil Lindgren and Benjamin Bouhana over the Panthers’ Trenton Spinks and Jackson Moore at the number one spot and an 8-3 victory by the Rams’ number three duo of Thibaut Charron and Bobo Delemark over William Adeimy and Lucas Thomaz.

The Rams quickly wrapped up the match with three straight-set singles wins. All-CAA First Teamer Martin Schulhauser knocked off Moore, 6-4, 6-0 at number two, Lindgren earned a 6-1, 6-2 triumph over Henri Mangin at number three and Bouhana beat Spinks, 6-4, 6-2 at number five.

VCUWT DUMPS DREXEL, HEADS TO CAA SEMIFINALS
NORFOLK, Va. - Second-seeded Virginia Commonwealth University posted a 4-0 victory over No. 7 Drexel in the quarterfinals of the Colonial Athletic Association Women's Tennis Championship on Friday at the Folkes-Stevens Tennis Center on the campus of Old Dominion University.

In Saturday’s 10 a.m. semifinal matches, stop-seeded Georgia State takes on No. Old Dominion and the Rams (17-8) meet either No. 3 William & Mary or No. 6 Delaware.

VCU moved on to the semifinals with a strong performance against Drexel. The Rams won the doubles point as the number one tandem of Ana Bara and Laura Burns topped the Dragons’ Zineb Hilali and Gorde Unkaya, 8-4, and the VCU number two duo of Alex Bara and Kateryna Yergina beat Sonja Stosic and Mellissa Lewis, 8-0.

The Rams continued to roll in singles as Burns defeated Anahita Jagtiani, 6-0, 6-1 at number three, Alex Bara got past Stosic, 6-0, 6-1 at number four and Mihaela Buena beat Emily Lews, 6-0, 6-0 at number six. Burns is 22-5 in singles play this season.

 

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GEORGIA STATE EDGES VCU FOR WOMEN’S TENNIS CROWN
4-19-09

NORFOLK, Va. – Virginia Commonwealth University managed three singles victories, but couldn’t hold off top-seeded Georgia State as the Panthers captured the 2009 CAA Championship with a 4-3 victory Saturday at the Folkes-Stevens Tennis Center on the campus of Old Dominion University.

The second-seeded Rams (18-9) were making their eighth consecutive CAA Championship match appearance and seeking their first title since 2006.

Despite dropping the doubles point, VCU battled back with victories by sophomore Laura Burns on the No. 3 court, Alex Bara at fourth position and Olena Leonchuk on the No. 5 court. Leonchuk is 22-3 this season and has won 15 straight singles matches.
#1 Georgia State 4, #2 VCU 3
Doubles
1. Nitkova/Gresova (GSU) d. Ana Bara/Burns, 8-5
2. Ondrackova/Linda Hricistova (GSU) d. Alex Bara/Yergina, 9-7
3. Leonchuk/Bunea (VCU) d. Kozmina/Powell, 8-4
Singles
1. Diana Nakic (GSU) d. Ana Bara, 6-4, 6-2
2. Martina Nitkova (GSU) d. Kateryna Yergina, 6-0, 2-0, ret.
3. Laura Burns (VCU) d. Dariana Kozmina, 6-2, 6-3
4. Alex Bara (VCU) d. Katerina Gresova, 6-1, 6-4
5. Olena Leonchuk (VCU) d. Kiara Powell, 6-1, 6-3
6. Martina Ondrackova (GSU) d. Mihaela Bunea, 6-1, 7-6 (7-5)

 

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UNC WILMINGTON TOPPLES VCU IN CAA CHAMPIONSHIP

NORFOLK, Va. – Virginia Commonwealth University fell just short in its bid for a 12th Colonial Athletic Association title Sunday, dropping a 4-3 decision to upstart UNC Wilmington at the Folkes-Stevens Tennis Center at Old Dominion University.

The second-seeded Rams (17-9) had won 11 of the previous 13 CAA Championships. UNCW was making its first championship appearance. VCU jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the match behind doubles victories from senior Emil Lindgren and freshman Benjamin Bouhana on the No. 1 court and freshman Filip Svensson and sophomore Bobo Delemark on the No. 3 court.

However, the Seahawks scored wins in four of the six singles matches, including three that reached three sets. The Rams did remain in contention with a 6-1, 6-0 win by Martin Schulhauser over Gustava Bertei on the No. 1 court, as well as a 6-3, 6-2 triumph by Delemark over Alex Wetherell on the No. 6.

#1 UNC Wilmington 4, #2 VCU 3
Doubles
1. Lindgren/Bouhana (VCU) d. Ybarra/Bertei, 8-5
2. Ziamtsou/Sharma (UNCW) d. Schulhauser/Vinel, 8-6
3. Svensson/Delemark (VCU) d. Pereira/Wetherell, 8-3
Singles
1. Martin Schulhauser (VCU) d. Gustavo Bertei, 6-1, 6-0
2. Michael Pereira (UNCW) d. Emil Lindgren, 5-7, 6-3, 7-5
3. Kinshuk Sharma (UNCW) d. Nicolas Vinel, 7-6 (5), 6-3
4. Ryan Ybarra (UNCW) d. Benjamin Bouhana, 6-3, 6-7 (8-6), 6-3
5. Illia Ziamtsou (UNCW) d. Filip Svennson, 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-2)
6. Bobo Delemark (VCU) d. Alex Wetherell, 6-3, 6-2