WKU Claims Its Third Road Win Defeating ETSU 4-3

Sunday, February 25

Johnson City, Tenn.

Western Kentucky University

ETSU

2/25/2018 2:27:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Box Score

Box Score

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – WKU (4-3, 1-0 C-USA) bounced back after losing the doubles point to win four of six singles matches, claiming the win over ETSU on its home court. The Buccaneers of ETSU were 2-0 on their home court before the Lady Toppers notched today's win.

Play started with doubles matches as sophomores Cindy Oest and Natalia De Ugarte returned to the court together for the first time since defeating UTEP on January 27. The sophomore tandem swept an ETSU pair 6-0 and notched their 26th win together in just 35 matches.

Continuing their partnership on the court were freshman Moka Ito and sophomore Monica Malinen. The two fell to a pair of Buccaneers in a tight 7-5 battle. On court two, seniors Violetta Shatalova and Elpida Malamou teamed up for the first time since the season opener at Alabama over a month ago. The senior duo was defeated 6-4 and ETSU took the doubles point.

When singles action began, Malinen was the first to earn a point for the Red and White with a 6-3, 6-0 win over an Buccaneer. Malamou and Shatalova both fell to ETSU in matches of three sets with scores of 6-4, 4-6, 4-6 and 3-6, 6-2, 3-6, respectively.

Newcomer Ito continued her success this season with a 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (8-6) win over her ETSU opponent from the No. 1 spot. Ito is now 5-1 in the spring season with two of those victories coming from the top of the lineup.

Oest tied up the match for the Lady Toppers, defeating an ETSU representative 2-6, 7-5, 6-3. De Ugarte sealed the deal and clinched the match for WKU, winning 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 on court five.

WKU will be back in action this Saturday at Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind.