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Monday, March 11
Palm Springs, Calif.
4:00 PM ET/1:00 PM PT
Liberty University
4
vs
2
North Texas
Liberty Tops North Texas 4-2 in First of Two in California
3/12/2024 1:19:00 AM | Women's Tennis
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – The Lady Flames tennis team bested North Texas 4-2 on Monday. The match was held at the Monterey Country Club in Palm Desert, Calif.
Liberty (7-4) took the doubles point over North Texas (8-7) with two decisive wins on courts three and two. The Lady Flames built a daunting 3-0 lead with victories in the No. 6 and 3 singles matches. UNT tightened the match with triumphs on courts five and four.
Tiffany Nguyen secured the match-winning fourth point after putting aside a difficult first set, coming back for a 1-6, 6-0, 6-3 victory.
Liberty boosts its road mark to 2-4 away from Lynchburg in 2024.
The Lady Flames improve their record to 4-2 all-time facing North Texas. A familiar matchup recently, Liberty head coach Jeff Maren spent six seasons with North Texas before making his way to Liberty.
Thoughts from Head Coach Jeff Maren
"This was a gritty match. We had to battle against a really tough team. We needed to bring a lot of energy and fight, and I think we did that. We played pretty good in doubles. We brought a lot of desire in the singles round, especially in the third set matches we had at the end. I was very proud of the way the girls finished the match."
On what he is looking forward to facing Wichita State on Wednesday...
"It's going to be another battle. We are going to need to compete at a high level. We need to take confidence from this match (UNT) and tomorrow's practice in order to get ready for a really tough team."
#69 Liberty 4, North Texas 2
Singles Competition
1. Olivia Malm (UNT) vs. M. Juliana P. Romero (LIBERTYW) 3-6, 6-2, 1-5, unfinished
2. Tiffany Nguyen (LIBERTYW) def. Stadfany Nformi (UNT) 1-6, 6-0, 6-3
3. Esther Lovato (LIBERTYW) def. Stansilava Shulzhenk (UNT) 6-2, 6-3
4. Lou Chalard (UNT) def. Marina Davtyan (LIBERTYW) 6-3, 6-3
5. Lilly Schultz (UNT) def. Daniella O'Neill (LIBERTYW) 6-4, 6-1
6. Maria Turchetto (LIBERTYW) def. Marina Adati (UNT) 6-0, 6-3
Doubles Competition
1. Stansilava Shulzhenk/Olivia Malm (UNT) vs. M. Juliana P. Romero/Tiffany Nguyen (LIBERTYW) 5-4, unfinished
2. Priscila Janikian/Maria Turchetto (LIBERTYW) def. Lilly Schultz/Stadfany Nformi (UNT) 6-3
3. Marina Davtyan/Esther Lovato (LIBERTYW) def. Lou Chalard/Marina Adati (UNT) 6-2
Liberty 7-4; National ranking #69
North Texas 8-7
Order of Finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (6,3,5,4,2)
Doubles
Liberty (7-4) takes on Wichita State (7-4) at the same venue for a second neutral site match on Wednesday. First serve is set for 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.
Liberty (7-4) took the doubles point over North Texas (8-7) with two decisive wins on courts three and two. The Lady Flames built a daunting 3-0 lead with victories in the No. 6 and 3 singles matches. UNT tightened the match with triumphs on courts five and four.
Tiffany Nguyen secured the match-winning fourth point after putting aside a difficult first set, coming back for a 1-6, 6-0, 6-3 victory.
Liberty boosts its road mark to 2-4 away from Lynchburg in 2024.
The Lady Flames improve their record to 4-2 all-time facing North Texas. A familiar matchup recently, Liberty head coach Jeff Maren spent six seasons with North Texas before making his way to Liberty.
Thoughts from Head Coach Jeff Maren
"This was a gritty match. We had to battle against a really tough team. We needed to bring a lot of energy and fight, and I think we did that. We played pretty good in doubles. We brought a lot of desire in the singles round, especially in the third set matches we had at the end. I was very proud of the way the girls finished the match."
On what he is looking forward to facing Wichita State on Wednesday...
"It's going to be another battle. We are going to need to compete at a high level. We need to take confidence from this match (UNT) and tomorrow's practice in order to get ready for a really tough team."
#69 Liberty 4, North Texas 2
Singles Competition
1. Olivia Malm (UNT) vs. M. Juliana P. Romero (LIBERTYW) 3-6, 6-2, 1-5, unfinished
2. Tiffany Nguyen (LIBERTYW) def. Stadfany Nformi (UNT) 1-6, 6-0, 6-3
3. Esther Lovato (LIBERTYW) def. Stansilava Shulzhenk (UNT) 6-2, 6-3
4. Lou Chalard (UNT) def. Marina Davtyan (LIBERTYW) 6-3, 6-3
5. Lilly Schultz (UNT) def. Daniella O'Neill (LIBERTYW) 6-4, 6-1
6. Maria Turchetto (LIBERTYW) def. Marina Adati (UNT) 6-0, 6-3
Doubles Competition
1. Stansilava Shulzhenk/Olivia Malm (UNT) vs. M. Juliana P. Romero/Tiffany Nguyen (LIBERTYW) 5-4, unfinished
2. Priscila Janikian/Maria Turchetto (LIBERTYW) def. Lilly Schultz/Stadfany Nformi (UNT) 6-3
3. Marina Davtyan/Esther Lovato (LIBERTYW) def. Lou Chalard/Marina Adati (UNT) 6-2
Liberty 7-4; National ranking #69
North Texas 8-7
Order of Finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (6,3,5,4,2)
Doubles
- Liberty jumped ahead with the recently reunited pair of Marina Davtyan and Esther Lovato (1-0) picking up a win on court three with a 6-2 victory over Lou Chalard and Marina Adati.
- The Lady Flames clinched the doubles round with a new duo, Priscila Janikian and Maria Turchetto, besting Lily Schultz and Stadfany Nformi 6-2 in the No. 2 doubles match.
- Freshman Maria Turchetto ended a rough stretch of singles matches, topping Adati 6-0, 6-3 in the No. 6 singles match.
- Esther Lovato stretched the lead to 3-0 on court three with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Shulzhenk.
- UNT grabbed the first of two consecutive wins in the No. 5 singles match. O'Neill fell to Schulz 6-4, 6-1.
- The Mean Green made the deficit one at 3-2 on court four. Davtyan dropped a tight match to Chalard 6-3, 6-3.
- The Lady Flames secured the match-winning fourth point on court two. Nguyen climbed back from a one-sided first set to sweep the second set and secure the 1-6, 6-0, 6-3 victory over Nformi.
Liberty (7-4) takes on Wichita State (7-4) at the same venue for a second neutral site match on Wednesday. First serve is set for 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
12
4UF
Stansilava Shulzhenk/ Olivia Malm [UNT]
5UF
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
3,2
#1 Singles Match
1234
625UF
Olivia Malm / 0 [UNT]
361UF
#2 Singles Match
123
166
Stadfany Nformi / 0 [UNT]
603
#3 Singles Match
12
66
Stansilava Shulzhenk / 0 [UNT]
23
#4 Singles Match
12
33
Lou Chalard / 0 [UNT]
66
#5 Singles Match
12
41
Lilly Schultz / 0 [UNT]
66
#6 Singles Match
12
66
Marina Adati / 0 [UNT]
03
Order of Finish:
6,3,5,4,2
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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