Massachusetts Drops 4-2 Atlantic 10 Championship Match Decision To VCU

ORLANDO, Fla. - No. 6 seed University of Massachusetts tennis took the doubles point from No. 1 seed VCU, but the Rams rallied in singles play for a 4-2 victory over the Minutewomen in the Atlantic 10 Championship Match at the UTSA National Campus on Sunday. Massachusetts ended the season 13-7 overall and reached the Atlantic 10 Championship Match for the second consecutive season.

The Maroon and White won the doubles point via the No. 2 pair of Janja Kovacevic and Martina Bocchi and No. 3 duo, Ana Yrazusta and Anna Napadiy. Kovacevic and Bocchi wrapped up a tidy 6-1 match victory over Noumea Witmus and Paola Diaz-Delgado before Yrazusta and Napadiy took a 6-2 series from Marina Alcaide Bakkari and Sofia Sualehe.

VCU responded with singles victories in the No. 4, No. 3 and No. 6 positions in succession and jumped ahead, 3-1 in the process. Witmus bested Laura Moreno, 6-2, 6-1 at No. 4 before Acaide Bakkari downed Kovacevic 6-1, 6-2 at No. 3. Sualehe then claimed a key match win at No. 6 over Bocchi, 7-6 (6), 6-1.

Napadiy staved off elimination for the Minutewomen with her 6-4, 6-1 triumph over Yano, but Anna Rasmussen won it for the Rams with a 7-6 (6), 6-2 outcome at No. 1 singles over Ruth Crawford.

Massachusetts was the first No. 6 seed to reach the Atlantic 10 Championship match and the lowest seeded to to reach the finale in Atlantic 10 history.

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Scoreboard

Massachusetts Drops 4-2 Atlantic 10 Championship Match Decision To VCU

Players Mentioned

Martina Bocchi

Ruth Crawford

Janja Kovacevic

Laura Moreno

Anna Napadiy

Ana Yrazusta

Scoreboard

University of Massachusets Athletics