Monday, May 6
Bradenton, Fla.
11:30 AM ET
Liberty University
4
vs
3
Appalachian State
No. 4 Seed Liberty Squeaks by No. 5 Seed Appalachian State at the NIT Championship
5/6/2024 5:23:00 PM | Women's Tennis
BRADENTON, Fla. – The No. 4 seed Lady Flames tennis team advances to the second round of the 2024 UTR Sports NIT Championship with a 4-3 triumph over No. 5 seed Appalachian State on Monday afternoon. The match was held at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.
No. 4 Liberty (18-6) takes a victory in its first-ever appearance in the NIT Championship with a 4-3 triumph over Appalachian State (15-11). The Lady Flames did not trail in the match but were tied twice at 2-2 and 3-3 in the contest.
Liberty secures a win in its first-ever postseason tournament appearance.
Liberty jumped ahead with a pair of 6-2 doubles victories on courts one and three. Esther Lovato (13-5) stretched the lead to 2-0 with a perfect 6-0, 6-0 outing in the No. 3 singles match.
The Mountaineers responded with two-set triumphs on courts six and one.
Daniella O'Neill (11-5) secured a critical match victory in a back-and-forth 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 victory in the No. 4 singles match. Appalachian State answered back with a victory on court five.
Tiffany Nguyen (4-6) was part of the only match remaining in a 3-3 tie. The senior nearly took a two-set triumph but could not hold onto a 5-1 lead in the second set tiebreaker. Nguyen persevered to clinch the 4-3 victory with a 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3 showing.
Liberty improves to 2-5 all-time against Appalachian State in their first meeting since 2013. The Lady Flames up their record away from Lynchburg to 9-6.
No. 4 Liberty def. Appalachian State, 4-3
Doubles
No. 1 Tiffany Nguyen/Maria Juliana Parra Romero (LIB) def. Savannah Dada-Mascoll/Ellie Murphy (APP), 6-2
No. 2 Daniella O'Neill/Maria Turchetto (LIB) vs. Taya Powell/Olwyn Ryan-Bovey (APP), 4-5 (unfinished)
No. 3 Marina Davtyan/Esther Lovato (LIB) def. Maggie Pate/Naledi Manyube (APP), 6-2
Liberty wins the doubles point
Singles
No. 1 Savannah Dada-Mascoll (APP) def. María Juliana Parra Romero (LIB), 7-5, 6-4
No. 2 Tiffany Nguyen (LIB) def. Taya Powell (APP), 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-3*
No. 3 Esther Lovato (LIB) def. Olwyn Ryan-Bovey (APP), 6-0, 6-0
No. 4 Daniella O'Neill (LIB) def. Maggie Pate (APP), 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
No. 5 Naledi Manyube (APP) def. Maria Carolina Ferreira (LIB), 7-6(4), 1-6, 6-3
No. 6 Ellie Murphy (APP) def. Sadie Daavettila (LIB), 6-3, 7-6(5)
*Clinch
Lady Flames News & Notes
Up Next
Liberty prepares to face No. 1 seed Colorado in the semifinal round of the NIT Championship. The start of the match is to be announced and will be broadcast live on Amazon Prime Video.
No. 4 Liberty (18-6) takes a victory in its first-ever appearance in the NIT Championship with a 4-3 triumph over Appalachian State (15-11). The Lady Flames did not trail in the match but were tied twice at 2-2 and 3-3 in the contest.
Liberty secures a win in its first-ever postseason tournament appearance.
Liberty jumped ahead with a pair of 6-2 doubles victories on courts one and three. Esther Lovato (13-5) stretched the lead to 2-0 with a perfect 6-0, 6-0 outing in the No. 3 singles match.
The Mountaineers responded with two-set triumphs on courts six and one.
Daniella O'Neill (11-5) secured a critical match victory in a back-and-forth 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 victory in the No. 4 singles match. Appalachian State answered back with a victory on court five.
Tiffany Nguyen (4-6) was part of the only match remaining in a 3-3 tie. The senior nearly took a two-set triumph but could not hold onto a 5-1 lead in the second set tiebreaker. Nguyen persevered to clinch the 4-3 victory with a 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3 showing.
Liberty improves to 2-5 all-time against Appalachian State in their first meeting since 2013. The Lady Flames up their record away from Lynchburg to 9-6.
No. 4 Liberty def. Appalachian State, 4-3
Doubles
No. 1 Tiffany Nguyen/Maria Juliana Parra Romero (LIB) def. Savannah Dada-Mascoll/Ellie Murphy (APP), 6-2
No. 2 Daniella O'Neill/Maria Turchetto (LIB) vs. Taya Powell/Olwyn Ryan-Bovey (APP), 4-5 (unfinished)
No. 3 Marina Davtyan/Esther Lovato (LIB) def. Maggie Pate/Naledi Manyube (APP), 6-2
Liberty wins the doubles point
Singles
No. 1 Savannah Dada-Mascoll (APP) def. María Juliana Parra Romero (LIB), 7-5, 6-4
No. 2 Tiffany Nguyen (LIB) def. Taya Powell (APP), 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-3*
No. 3 Esther Lovato (LIB) def. Olwyn Ryan-Bovey (APP), 6-0, 6-0
No. 4 Daniella O'Neill (LIB) def. Maggie Pate (APP), 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
No. 5 Naledi Manyube (APP) def. Maria Carolina Ferreira (LIB), 7-6(4), 1-6, 6-3
No. 6 Ellie Murphy (APP) def. Sadie Daavettila (LIB), 6-3, 7-6(5)
*Clinch
Lady Flames News & Notes
- Maria Juliana Parra Romero (16-9), fighting through difficult conditions, nearly came back in the second set after going down 5-2.
- Lovato increases her program-record singles victories mark to 121 triumphs.
- Nguyen solidified her second-best all-time doubles victories mark with her career win No. 92.
- The doubles pair of Lovato and Davtyan improve their record together this season to 8-0.
- O'Neill boosts her singles winning streak to five matches.
Up Next
Liberty prepares to face No. 1 seed Colorado in the semifinal round of the NIT Championship. The start of the match is to be announced and will be broadcast live on Amazon Prime Video.
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
1
Savannah DadaMascoll/ Ellie Murphy [APPSTATE]
2
6
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
3,1
#1 Singles Match
12
Savannah DadaMascoll / 0 [APPSTATE]
76
54
#2 Singles Match
123
Taya Powell / 0 [APPSTATE]
373
666
#3 Singles Match
12
Olwyn Ryan-Bovey / 0 [APPSTATE]
00
66
#4 Singles Match
123
Maggie Pate / 0 [APPSTATE]
464
646
#5 Singles Match
123
Naledi Manyube / 0 [APPSTATE]
716
663
#6 Singles Match
12
Ellie Murphy / 0 [APPSTATE]
67
36
Order of Finish:
3,6,1,4,5,2
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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