Tennis sweeps Youngstown State

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – What a difference a year makes.

After splitting the two matches it played… YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – What a difference a year makes.

After splitting the two matches it played last year against Youngstown State, the Pitt women’s tennis team allowed no possibility of a close competition this year as it swept the match, 7-0, and only lost one of the nine matches the entire day.

The match was the first team contest of the year for the team.

“I’m really proud of the team because this was a great start to the season for us. The whole team pulled together extremely well,” senior Nikki Borza said.

Beginning the action were the doubles competitions for the day, resulting in Pitt winning two of the three matches, which gave the team one point toward the match score.

Leading the way was the team of Jill Williams and Borza who defeated Annie Marino and Jen Meister, 8-3.

“Jill and Nikki played a great match. They both volleyed and returned very well,” coach George Dieffenbach said.

Also notching a win in doubles play was Laura Pegula and Brooke Yablonski, who were winners in a close match over Nadia Shah and Whitney Thomas, 8-6.

“Brooke really stepped up late in that match with some solid volleys and returns to be able to get that doubles point,” Dieffenbach said.

Rounding out the doubles play for Pitt was Hayley Hughes and Jena Fiore, who lost a tough match, 6-8, against Alyson Finamore and Sarah Ruthenberg.

With the match score at 1-0 in favor of Pitt, the singles play began with Pitt coming out strong and never allowing Youngstown State an opportunity to take a match.

At No. 1, Williams dominated her entire match, controlling every point, and meshing a style of power and consistency to defeat Marino, 6-2, 6-2.

In the No. 2 singles match, Borza worked each point and used intelligent shot to take her match, 6-3, 6-1, over Ruthenberg.

In the No. 3 spot, Pegula played a dominant first set, winning it 6-0. The second set was very closely contested for Pegula, standing at 4-3, but she heightened her game when it counted, taking the match in straight sets, 6-0, 6-3.

Becky Emmers, in the No. 4 singles match, dictated her match with smooth play and easily defeated Thomas by a score of 6-1, 6-2.

At No. 5, Hughes played the longest match of the day, but stepped up her game at the pivotal points of the match to win it in straight sets over Shah, 6-4, 6-3.

Completing the action for the day at No. 6 was Fiore, who handled Finamore the entire match. Fiore took the match, 6-0, 6-0, in so overpowering a performance that she brought her opponent to tears in the first set.

“I was really happy with the whole team’s performance. It was huge not to lose a single set,” Dieffenbach said. “I foresee that this team can do a lot of winning this year, and this match has set the tone.”