March 9, 2006

ROCK HILL, S.C. - The Virginia Tech women's tennis team defeated Winthrop 4-3 on Thursday afternoon, outlasting the Lady Eagles in a four-hour match.

Virginia Tech (10-3) won the doubles point with wins at No. 2 and 3 doubles to start the day. It would prove to be the key point in the match, as the two teams split the six singles matches.

The duo of freshman Inga Beermann and freshman Abbey Walker defeated Patricia Coimbra and Yolanda Araujo 8-5 at No. 2 doubles, while sophomore Jessica Long and junior Ashley James won at No. 3 doubles, downing Alexandra Dyckman and Malin Sjoqvuist 8-3. At No. 1 doubles, senior Anat Elazari and sophomore J.J. Larson fell 9-8 to Ana Paula Novaes and Paula Takahashi.

Beerman and Larson scored the first two points for the Hokies in the singles matches with wins at No. 1 and No. 5 singles, respectively. Beerman defeated the Novaes 6-1, 6-1, and Larson took a 7-6, 6-0 win over Larisa Bekmetova.

Winthrop (5-6) won the next three, at No. 3, 4, and 6 singles to tie the match at 3-3. The Hokies' James fell 6-3, 6-4 at No. 3 to Araujo, while Long was defeated in three sets by Takahashi, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 at No. 4. At No. 6, Walker also fell in three sets to Sjoqvist, 7-5, 1-6, 6-2.

Elazari clinched the match win for Tech, outlasting Coimbra 4-6, 6-4 and 6-3 at the No. 2 singles spot.

The Hokies, in the middle of a four-game road trip, take on Atlantic Coast Conference rival No. 15 Georgia Tech at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 11 in Atlanta.

Virginia Tech 4, Winthrop 3

Singles

1. Inga Beermann (VT) def. Ana Paula Novaes, 6-1, 6-1

2. Anat Elazari (VT) def. Patricia Coimbra 4-6, 6-4, 6-3

3., Yolanda Araujo (WU) def. Ashley James, 6-3, 6-4

4. Paula Takahashi (WU) def. Jessica Long, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3

5. J.J. Larson (VT) def. Larisa Bekmetova, 7-6, 6-0

6. Malin Sjoqvist (WU) def. Abbey Walker, 7-5, 1-6, 6-2

Doubles

1. Novaes/Takahashi (WU) def. Elazari/Larson, 9-8

2. Beermann/Walker (VT) def. Coimbra/Araujo, 8-5

3. Long/James (VT) def. Alexandra Dyckman/Sjoqvist, 8-3