On a chilly Friday afternoon, VCU took down Mason in their last regular season tennis match, winning 4-1. Let’s dive into what went down during the match.
The Rams kicked things off strong, winning the doubles point. Mason’s teams lost in the first and second spots, while Maya Bayat and Lakshya Motam were trailing 3-4 when the point was awarded to VCU.
Mason did score when Bayat’s opponent defaulted while she played at the fourth singles spot. However, VCU clinched victory with wins at the second, third, and fourth singles play. Although Lauren Splett and Cenan Liu were still in action, their matches ended without a decision.
Coach Curtis expressed pride in his team’s growth throughout the season. He noted, "When I look at where this young team is now compared to our first match of the season, I am very proud of these women for their commitment, effort, and determination."
Now, Mason awaits its seed for the Atlantic 10 Championships starting next Thursday in Orlando, Florida.
A recent report from the NCAA highlights that tennis participation at the collegiate level has increased by over 15% in recent years. This shows a growing interest in the sport, and teams are becoming more competitive.
As Mason prepares for the championships, they take with them lessons learned from the entire season. Fans eagerly anticipate how they will perform in the tournament.
Here’s a quick look at the match results:
Doubles:
- Andrade/Alba (VCU) def. Cenan Liu/Lauren Splett (Mason), 6-2
- Mazlazdra/Thorne (VCU) def. Mary Young/Brooklyn Siegel (Mason), 6-2
- Karlova/Magallanes (VCU) vs. Maya Bayat/Lakshya Motam (Mason), 4-3, not finished
Singles:
- Thorne (VCU) vs. Cenan Liu (Mason), 6-2, 3-3, not finished
- Andrade (VCU) def. Maitree Rout (Mason), 6-1, 6-0
- Magallanes (VCU) def. Mary Young (Mason), 6-1, 6-1
- Maya Bayat (Mason) def. Malazdra (VCU), 3-1, default
- Karlova (VCU) def. Noelle Talarek (Mason), 6-2, 6-1
- Lauren Splett (Mason) vs. Alba (VCU), 4-6, 0-3, not finished
With fresh insights and pride, Mason will head into the championships ready to compete.