App State Falls in Valiant Effort at Virginia Tech

BLACKSBURG, Va. - Appalachian State University women's tennis (2-2) gave Virginia Tech (2-0) all it could handle in a 5-2 setback on Friday at the Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center.

The Mountaineers started off with the doubles point capturing two of the three doubles matches, but the hosts claimed five of the six singles matches to nab the win.

Sandra Anglesjö and Emily Gaskins fell in the first completed doubles contest as the No. 2 in the lineup, 6-3, to Nika Kozar and Nina Sorkin. The Mountaineers kicked it into gear when Heidi Swope and María José Zacarias downed Eleza Cerezo-Codina and Sarah Born, 6-3, to improve to 2-2 thus far as partners. After the No. 1 pairing tied up the contest, Melissa Machado and Teodora Sevo fought for a 6-4 triumph against Shene Disbergen/ McKenzie Collins to give App the 1-0 lead. 

With App leading, the Hokies responded winning the first four singles matches to clinch the victory and move to 2-0 on their first day of the season following an early win against ETSU. Zacarias gave App its only singles win of the evening as the No. 2 in the lineup, defeating Caroline Daxhelet, 6-3, 1-6, 6-4. Zacarias picked up the first frame before Daxhelet tied up the match and from that point on the freshman for App took control to earn her first singles win of the season.

Appalachian will have a week-long break before traveling to Norfolk, Va. for a pair of matches. The Mountaineers will face the Monarchs of Old Dominion on Saturday, Feb. 3 at 10 a.m. before facing Charlotte on Sunday at 2 p.m.

Singles
1. #25 Natalie Novotna (VT) def. Teodora Sevo (AppSt) 6-3, 6-4

2. Maria Zacarias (AppSt) def. Caroline Daxhelet (VT) 3-6, 6-1,4-6

3. Nika Kozar (VT) def. Taylor Bygrave (AppSt) 6-3,6-3

4. Katherine Butler (VT) def. Heidi Swope (AppSt) 6-2, 6-0

5. Nina Sorkin (VT) def. Melissa Machado(AppSt) 6-2, 6-0 

6. Shene Disbergen (VT) def. Rebecca Morse (AppSt) 6-4, 1-6 (10-5)

Order of finish: 5,4,3,1*,6,2

Doubles
1. Swope/Zacarias (AppSt) def. Cerezo-Codina/Baron (VT) 6-3

2. Kozar/Sorkin (VT) def. Anglesjo/Gaskins (AppSt) 6-3

3. Machado/Sevo (AppSt) def. Disbergen/Collins (VT)  6-4

Order of finish: 2,1,3*