Las Vegas, Nevada – The Youngstown State women's tennis battled back in singles but dropped a 5-2 decision to UNLV in a three-hour, 20-minute marathon match at the Fertitta Tennis Complex on Sunday morning.
The Penguins won two of three contests during their three-day trip to Vegas and are now 3-2 on the season. UNLV improves to 3-0.
After trailing 2-0, Julia Marko picked up a straight set win at No. 1 singles and Line Greyling battled back for a three-set victory at No. 6 singles.
The Rebels took a 3-2 match lead with a win at No. 4 singles.
YSU's Lili Minich and Ghada Dirninger were in tremendous three-set contests at No. 2 and No. 5 singles.
Dirninger won her first set 7-5 before falling 6-3 in the second set. Down 5-1, she fought off three match points, including two down 5-4, to tie the third set at 5-5. Trailing 6-5, she was able to win at 40-40 to force tiebreak. However she dropped the tiebreak allowing UNLV to clinch the win.
Minich won her first set 7-6 before dropping her second set 7-6 (7-5). In the second set tiebreak, she led 5-3 before suffering the setback. She lost her third set by a score of 6-3.
Marko posted a 3-0 record in Vegas with a 7-5, 6-3 win at No. 1 singles while Greyling jumped into the lineup and rallied for a 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 victory.
The Penguins return home to face Buffalo on Friday at the YSU Indoor Tennis Center. First serve is set for 3 p.m.
UNLV 5, Youngstown State 2
Singles competition
1. Julia Marko (YSU) def. Cindy Hu (UNLV) 7-5, 6-3
2. Veronica Kliuch (UNLV) def. Lili Minich (YSU) 6-7, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3
3. Coco Zhao (UNLV) def. Yeseniia Ovcharova (YSU) 6-3, 6-1
4. Nikol Mircheva (UNLV) def. Lorena Cedeno (YSU) 6-3, 7-5
5. Kaho Oyama (UNLV) def. Ghada Dirninger (YSU) 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3)
6. Line Greyling (YSU) def. Sofiia Sokolvak (UNLV) 2-6, 6-2, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. Hanna Vinahradava/Nikol Mircheva (UNLV) def. Julia Marko/Ghada Dirninger (YSU) 6-2
2. Cindy Hu/Coco Zhao (UNLV) def. Lili Minich/Line Greyling (YSU) 6-1
3. Sofiia Sokolvak/Kaho Oyama (UNLV) vs. Yeseniia Ovcharova/Lorena Cedeno (YSU) 5-2, unfinished
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (3,1,6,4,5,2)
