Friday, April 18
Lynchburg, Va.
10:00 AM ET
Liberty University
0
vs
4
No. 1 FIU
No. 5 Liberty Concludes Run at CUSA Championship, Falls 4-0 to No. 1 FIU
4/18/2025 2:58:00 PM | Women's Tennis
LYNCHBURG, Va. – The No. 5 seed Lady Flames' (12-13) postseason run ends with a 4-0 defeat to No. 1 seed FIU on Friday afternoon from the Liberty Tennis Complex.
Liberty's first season under head coach Dash Connell concludes with a 1-1 record as the five-seed at the CUSA Women's Tennis Championship. The Lady Flames will now await news on potential additional postseason opportunities.
The Lady Flames kept the doubles matches close early but the Panthers pulled away for victories on courts one and two. Liberty was trailing 4-3 on court three when the doubles point was decided.
The Panthers came out strong in the first singles sets, taking four of six. Anika Lemus (7-5) on court five and Yu-Yun Chen (7-6 (6)) were the only Lady Flames to win a first set.
FIU grabbed its second point in the No. 1 singles match for a 2-0 lead. The Panthers earned a commanding 3-0 margin with a 6-1, 6-4 victory on court six.
Liberty fought back on the rest of the playing courts, forcing third sets on the No. 2, 3, and 4 singles matches.
The Panthers secured the match-winning fourth point on court two as No. 105 Oyinlomo Quadre dominated the second and third sets against Chen to take a 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 victory. The No. 1 Panthers advance to the CUSA Championship final to take on No. 3 Louisiana Tech from the Liberty Tennis Complex on Saturday at 10 a.m.
Liberty falls to FIU in the CUSA Championship for the second consecutive team. The Lady Flames fell 4-1, finishing as runners-up following a 4-1 loss to No. 1 FIU in 2024.
#55 FIU 4, Liberty 0
Singles Competition
1. #93 E. Khairutdinova (FIU) def. Yoanna Radulova (LIBERTYW) 6-2, 6-2
2. #105 Oyinlomo Quadre (FIU) def. Yu-Yun Chen (LIBERTYW) 5-7, 6-1, 6-1
3. Daniella O'Neill (LIBERTYW) vs. Valery Gynina (FIU) 6-3, 3-6, 1-5, unfinished
4. Maria Turchetto (LIBERTYW) vs. Katerina Mandelikova (FIU) 1-6, 6-3, 4-2, unfinished
5. Anika Lemus (LIBERTYW) vs. Petja Drame (FIU) 7-6, 4-0, unfinished
6. Aleksandra Simeva (FIU) def. Celina Joseph (LIBERTYW) 6-1, 6-4
Doubles Competition
1. Oyinlomo Quadre/Katerina Mandelikova (FIU) def. Daniella O'Neill/Maria Turchetto (LIBERTYW) 6-3
2. Valery Gynina/E. Khairutdinova (FIU) def. Yoanna Radulova/Anika Lemus (LIBERTYW) 6-2
3. Yu-Yun Chen/Celina Joseph (LIBERTYW) vs. Aleksandra Simeva/Dana Baidaulet (FIU) 3-4, unfinished
FIU 14-4; National ranking #55
Liberty 12-13
Order of Finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (1,6,2)
Official: Bruce Harrison
Lady Flames News & Notes
Liberty's first season under head coach Dash Connell concludes with a 1-1 record as the five-seed at the CUSA Women's Tennis Championship. The Lady Flames will now await news on potential additional postseason opportunities.
The Lady Flames kept the doubles matches close early but the Panthers pulled away for victories on courts one and two. Liberty was trailing 4-3 on court three when the doubles point was decided.
The Panthers came out strong in the first singles sets, taking four of six. Anika Lemus (7-5) on court five and Yu-Yun Chen (7-6 (6)) were the only Lady Flames to win a first set.
FIU grabbed its second point in the No. 1 singles match for a 2-0 lead. The Panthers earned a commanding 3-0 margin with a 6-1, 6-4 victory on court six.
Liberty fought back on the rest of the playing courts, forcing third sets on the No. 2, 3, and 4 singles matches.
The Panthers secured the match-winning fourth point on court two as No. 105 Oyinlomo Quadre dominated the second and third sets against Chen to take a 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 victory. The No. 1 Panthers advance to the CUSA Championship final to take on No. 3 Louisiana Tech from the Liberty Tennis Complex on Saturday at 10 a.m.
Liberty falls to FIU in the CUSA Championship for the second consecutive team. The Lady Flames fell 4-1, finishing as runners-up following a 4-1 loss to No. 1 FIU in 2024.
#55 FIU 4, Liberty 0
Singles Competition
1. #93 E. Khairutdinova (FIU) def. Yoanna Radulova (LIBERTYW) 6-2, 6-2
2. #105 Oyinlomo Quadre (FIU) def. Yu-Yun Chen (LIBERTYW) 5-7, 6-1, 6-1
3. Daniella O'Neill (LIBERTYW) vs. Valery Gynina (FIU) 6-3, 3-6, 1-5, unfinished
4. Maria Turchetto (LIBERTYW) vs. Katerina Mandelikova (FIU) 1-6, 6-3, 4-2, unfinished
5. Anika Lemus (LIBERTYW) vs. Petja Drame (FIU) 7-6, 4-0, unfinished
6. Aleksandra Simeva (FIU) def. Celina Joseph (LIBERTYW) 6-1, 6-4
Doubles Competition
1. Oyinlomo Quadre/Katerina Mandelikova (FIU) def. Daniella O'Neill/Maria Turchetto (LIBERTYW) 6-3
2. Valery Gynina/E. Khairutdinova (FIU) def. Yoanna Radulova/Anika Lemus (LIBERTYW) 6-2
3. Yu-Yun Chen/Celina Joseph (LIBERTYW) vs. Aleksandra Simeva/Dana Baidaulet (FIU) 3-4, unfinished
FIU 14-4; National ranking #55
Liberty 12-13
Order of Finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (1,6,2)
Official: Bruce Harrison
Lady Flames News & Notes
- Liberty owns a 56-53 singles record this season and a 33-33 doubles record this spring.
- The Lady Flames did not win a single doubles match in two meetings at the CUSA Championship.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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Daniella O'Neill Talks About The Upcoming CUSA Tournament
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Friday, April 11