Women’s Tennis: No. 11 Virginia falls 6-1 against No. 10 Miami

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

The No. 11 Virginia women’s tennis team (11-4, 3-3 ACC) suffered a 6-1 defeat against No. 10 Miami (11-2, 6-1 ACC) on a blustery Sunday at the Virginia Tennis Facility at the Boar’s Head Resort.

Sophomore Sara Ziodato scored the lone point for the Cavaliers, picking up a win in three sets on court six.

Sophomores Emma Navarro and Hibah Shaikh opened the match with a 6-2 doubles win against No. 16 Eden Richardson and Daevenia Achong on the top court, but the Hurricanes won 6-0 and 6-2 on courts two and three to clinch the point.

Miami picked up three straight-set singles wins on courts one, three and five to take the 4-0 lead and clinch the victory. A three-set win on court two made it 5-0 before Ziodato picked up a point. She had dropped her first set 6-4 against Diana Khodan but rallied to win 6-2 and 6-4 in the second two sets to secure the victory. Senior Sofia Munera was edged in a tight 7-5, 7-5 contest on court four to close out play.

Richardson won the clinching point for the Hurricanes with a 6-3, 6-3 victory against Navarro on the top court. It was Navarro’s second-ever loss in collegiate singles play and her first since losing against Miami’s Estrela Perez-Somarriba on April 4, 2021 at Miami. Navarro had won 22 consecutive singles matches dating back to last season. She has a career record of 36-2 in singles play.

FROM HEAD COACH SARAH O’LEARY

“First off, credit to Miami. I thought they played and competed very well today. The wind was a big factor today and something we didn’t manage well. The team fought but our decision-making was not where it needed to be with the conditions we were facing today. As the coach, I take responsibility and know we need to improve in this area. It was a tough day but I know how tough and resilient this team is and know we will bounce back.”

ON THE HORIZON

• The Cavaliers are on the road next weekend, playing at Louisville on Friday, March 25 and at Notre Dame on Sunday, March 27

#10 Miami 6, #11 Virginia 1

Singles competition

1. #58 Eden Richardson (UM) def. #5 Emma Navarro (VA) 6-3, 6-3
2. #56 Daevenia Achong (UM) def. #50 Elaine Chervinsky (VA) 4-6, 6-1, 7-5
3. #112 Isabella Pfennig (UM) def. #26 Natasha Subhash (VA) 6-2, 6-2
4. Maya Tahan (UM) def. Sofia Munera (VA) 7-5, 7-5
5. Audrey Boch-Collins (UM) def. Hibah Shaikh (VA) 6-1, 6-0
6. Sara Ziodato (VA) def. Diana Khodan (UM) 4-6, 6-2, 6-4

Doubles competition

1. Emma Navarro/Hibah Shaikh (VA) def. #16 Eden Richardson/Daevenia Achong (UM) 6-2
2. #72 Maya Tahan/Diana Khodan (UM) def. #73 Sofia Munera/Amber O’Dell (VA) 6-0
3. Isabella Pfennig/Audrey Boch-Collins (UM) def. Elaine Chervinsky/Natasha Subhash (VA) 6-2

Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (5,3,1,2,6,4)

T-2:46 A-136