Towson defeats Longwood
By: Billy Owens, Staff Writer
Towson notched its sixth win of the season with a 6-1 victory over Longwood Tuesday afternoon at the Towson Center Courts.
The match marked the spring home court debut for the Tigers, who overcame wind and rain earlier in the day.
“We played in difficult conditions with the wind and the sun,” Interim Head Coach Jamie Peterson said. “When you play in these kinds of conditions, it’s tougher for the stronger team, which we were today, but we managed to persevere and do the things necessary to win.”
Towson won two of the three doubles sets to claim the opening doubles point. The team had dropped the opening doubles point in its previous two dual matches.
The Tigers No. 1 pairing of A.J Gomer and Ren van Oorschodt defeated Fallon Burger and Jamie Breunig 6-3, while the No. 3 pairing of Nicole Shakhnazarova (a Towerlight contributor) and Lucy Gloninger defeated Mason Thomas and Anna Pelak 6-3.
The Lancers took the No. 2 doubles set when Paloma Alatorre and Marija Venta topped Lucy Williams and Yevgeniya Shusterman 6-0.
In singles play, Towson won five of its six matches — four of those wins in straight sets — to clinch the overall victory.
No. 5 and No. 6 singles each split sets and used 10-point super tiebreakers to decide each match, rather than playing out the third sets.
No. 1 Shakhnazarova defeated Breunig 6-4, 6-3, while No. 2 Gomer beat Venta 6-1, 6-1. No. 3 Williams defeated Alatorre 6-1, 6-4, while No. 4 Barbora Vasilkova beat Thomas 6-4, 6-1.
At No. 6 singles, Gloninger held off Burger, winning 6-3, 3-6, [10-5]. Longwood’s lone point of the dual match came when Pelak edged No. 5 van Oorschodt 2-6, 6-3, [10-7].
“The doubles was better today, but still not where it should be,” Peterson said. “It’s a step in the right direction.”
The Tigers improved to 6-3 with the win Tuesday. The team is 5-1 this season when winning the opening doubles point, with the lone defeat coming against CAA rival Elon in the spring season opener.
Over spring break, the team will head south for matches at Florida International March 20 and Florida Atlantic March 22.
The team then returns home for two matches the following Saturday against CAA opponent the College of Charleston at 10 a.m. and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore at 4 p.m.
