Orange Take Second Loss of the season in ACC Opener
By Philip Galati | @philipgalati4
Citrus TV Tennis Beat Reporter
BLACKSBURG, VA – Syracuse Tennis took their second loss of the spring season in their conference play opener at Virginia Tech on Friday, 4-3. The loss comes a year ago minus one day from SU winning against VT by the same scoreline. After the Orange’s original ACC opener last weekend against Boston College was canceled due to COVID-19 protocols, Cuse couldn’t hold off a strong singles showing from the Hokies.
The Doubles slate got the afternoon started as usual. And as usual so far this season, Syracuse had no problems grabbing the opening point. Shiori Ito and Sonya Trescheva, a new pair that Head Coach Younes Limam debuted two duals ago, held down Court 1 with a 6-3 scoreline. That left Miyuka Kimoto and Polina Kozyreva battling things out on Court 2, who clinched the doubles point with an identical scoreline. The usual Court 3 pairing of Viktoria Kanapatskaya and Ines Fonte didn’t play to full score, as the sophomore duo stopped their match while up 5-4 after the doubles point was determined.
Kanapatskaya returned to the #1 spot for her singles match, taking on Virginia Tech’s Barad Itzhaki. Itzhaki defended her home #1 court in a 3 set match last year against the Orange’s Natalie Novotna, 7-6.2-6,13-11. This time, however, Kanapatskaya re-took Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center Court #1 back from the Hokies with a 6-4, 6-3 victory.
Kozyreva was bumped up to Court #4 for the third time this season and won her match in straight sets 6-3, 6-3. But that was where the day’s success stopped for the Orange. Freshman Miyuka Kimoto was back to the #2 court. The Japan native dropped the first set 6-2, but rallied to win the second 7-5. In the end it was a 7-5 loss in the third set that got the Hokies their first point of the afternoon, and that’s when the avalanche began.
SU’s other freshman Shiori Ito was able to extend her sets but couldn’t hold off the inevitable forever, losing on Court #5, 7-5, 7-5. On Court #3 and Trescheva struggled again, falling 7-6, 6-2. Ines Fonte lost two 6-3 sets on Court #6 to round out the defeat.
The Orange continue their Virginia road trip against the Cavaliers on Sunday. UVA is 7-0 at home, and takes on Syracuse starting at 11 am. Follow along @CitrusTVSports for live updates from the dual.
