Towson defeats Buffalo, falls to Duquesne
By: Billy Owens, Staff Writer
Towson split its two matches this weekend, falling at Duquesne 4-3 Sunday, but earning a 4-3 comeback win over Buffalo Saturday.
Sunday, the Tigers were unable to keep their three-match winning streak alive against the Dukes, and they dropped a close match at Duquesne’s indoor home courts.
“It was a really tough loss,” Interim Head Coach Jamie Peterson said. “As heartbreaking as you can get.”
Duquesne swept the three doubles matches to earn the opening doubles point. Kylie Isaacs and Julianne Herman defeated the No. 1 team of A.J Gomer and Ren van Oorschodt 6-1, while Ally Miller and Zuzanna Stelmaszak beat No.2 Lucy Williams and Jane Shusterman 6-3, and Megan Wasson and Laurel Shymansky defeated No. 3 Barbora Vasilkova and Lucy Gloninger 6-2.
Towson could not mount a comeback in singles play as Duquesne won three more matches, with two being comebacks from a set down, to claim overall victory.
Herman beat No. 2 Gomer 4-6, 6-0, 6-4, Wasson defeated No. 3 Williams 6-4, 6-2 and Aishwarya Kona beat No. 5 Sophie Lesage 2-6, 7-5, 6-2 to give Duquesne the win.
Towson’s singles wins came when No. 1 Nicole Shakhnazarova defeated Isaacs 7-6 (3), 6-3, No. 4 Vasilkova beat Ally Miller 7-5, 7-6 (9), and No. 6 Gloninger defeated Shymansky 6-2, 2-6, 6-3.
“We knew they were going to be a difficult team to beat,” Peterson said.
Saturday, the Tigers won their third consecutive match and ended the Bulls three-match winning streak with a neutral site victory.
Buffalo took an early 1-0 lead with two wins to seize the opening doubles point. Tanja Stojanovska and Margarita Kotok defeated Towson’s No. 1 pairing of Gomer and van Oorschodt 6-4, handing them their first loss as a team this spring.
Chantal Martinez Blanco and Anna Savchenko defeated the No. 2 pairing of Williams and Shusterman 6-2. The Tigers managed to prevent a doubles sweep, as the No. 3 team of Vasilkova and Gloninger beat Laura Holterbosch and Haley Hollins 6-3.
Despite the early deficit, Towson earned victories at four of the six singles spots to take overall victory.
“We were able to show our competitiveness and to comeback and win four out of six matches against a team like Buffalo,” Peterson said. “I couldn’t be prouder of the girls after that match.”
No. 1 Shakhnazarova defeated Martinez Blanco 6-3, 7-5, No. 3 Williams defeated Mercedes Losada Rubio 6-2, 6-3, and No. 4 Vasilkova defeated Savchenko 6-4, 7-5. No. 6 van Oorschodt clinched the win for the Tigers by outlasting Sanjana Sudhir 6-3, 1-6, 6-3.
Buffalo’s two wins in singles came when Stojanovska defeated No. 2 Gomer 6-3, 6-2 and Emel Abibula beat No. 5 Shusterman 6-1, 6-7 (6), 6-3.
Towson’s current standing is 5-3, including a 3-3 record in away matches and a 1-0 record in neutral site matches.
“The weekend ended on a disappointment,” Peterson said. “But I’m very pleased with how they competed.”
The Tigers host Longwood Tuesday at 3 p.m. at the Towson Center Courts.
The team will then head south for matches at Florida International March 20 and Florida Atlantic March 22. The team then returns home for a pair of matches the following Saturday against CAA opponent College of Charleston at 10 a.m. and University of Maryland Eastern Shore at 4 p.m.