WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - Off to its best start since 2007,
the No. 53-ranked William and Mary women's tennis team returns to action when
it travels to instate foe Virginia Tech on Saturday, Feb. 9. The match is
slated for a noon start at the Burrows-Burleson
Tennis Center. With its victory over UNCW on Feb. 2, the Green and Gold improved
to 5-2 on the year, marking the program's best start since 2007 when it
won 11 straight to open the year on the way to a 22-3 mark.
The Tribe tallied its first CAA
victory of the season, downing UNCW, 4-3, on Feb. 2 at the McCormack-Nagelsen
Tennis Center. The Green and Gold took the doubles point against the Seahawks,
behind victories from its top team of juniors
Maria Belaya and
Jeltje Loomans
as well as the No. 3 duo of senior
Anik Cepeda and junior
Sydney Smith. Belaya
and Loomans improved to 14-2 on the year with its victory at the No. 1 spot and
remain the No. 3-ranked doubles team in the country. The Green and Gold received
singles victories from juniors
Jeltje Loomans and
Hope Johnson as well as
freshman
Leeza Nemchinov in clinching the victory over UNCW. Loomans improved
to 5-2 in dual match play with her win at the No. 2 post, while Johnson ran her
win streak to four matches with a victory at No. 4. Nemchinov upped her dual-match record to 5-2 and her
overall ledger to 11-9 with a triumph at the No. 3 position.
Virginia Tech enters the weekend
at 4-0, including a 5-2 upset of No. 41-ranked Minnesota in its latest outing
on Feb. 3. The Hokies also own victories over Davidson, Navy and Louisville.
Freshman Ilinca Stoica has manned the No. 1 singles for Virginia Tech, posting
a 2-1 mark, including a three-set win over the No. 84-ranked player nationally
from Louisville. Freshman Raluca Mita, who is 12-4 on the year and 3-1 in
dual-match play, and junior Isel Martinez-Marcos finished the fall season
ranked among the top 15 in the Atlantic Region at No. 11 and No. 14,
respectively. Freshman Kelly Williford was ranked No. 119 nationally in the
singles rankings released on Jan. 3 and is 10-3 on the year. Stoica and Williford have played at the No. 1 doubles
position, going 3-1 during the dual-match campaign, while Williford and Mita
were ranked No. 9 in the Atlantic Region following the fall season.
The Tribe leads the all-time
series with Virginia Tech at 14-3, including a 4-1 ledger in Blacksburg. It
marks the third straight season in which W&M and VT have squared off. The
Tribe claimed a 5-2 win over No. 46-ranked Virginia Tech in Blacksburg during
the 2011 campaign, while the Hokies picked up a 6-1 win over the Green and Gold
in Williamsburg last season.
Following the trip to
Blacksburg, the Tribe returns home to open a four-match homestand. W&M
hosts Big XII foe West Virginia on Saturday, Feb. 16, at 1 p.m., before
welcoming No. 30 South Carolina to Williamsburg on Sunday, Feb. 17, at 1 p.m.
The College will face Penn and James Madison as part of a doubleheader on
Saturday, Feb. 23, to close out the homestand. Fans can follow all Tribe home matches via live results at TribeAthletics.com.
