.png&width=100&height=100&type=webp)
Saturday, April 5
Lynchburg, Va.
12:00 PM ET
Liberty University
4
vs
1
Western Kentucky
Liberty Tops Western Kentucky 4-1 to Wrap Home Regular Season
4/5/2025 4:14:00 PM | Women's Tennis
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty (10-11, 4-1 CUSA) battled through adversity to best Western Kentucky (13-8, 2-2 CUSA) 4-1 in its final regular season home match.
The Lady Flames took the doubles with a strong showing on courts three (6-1) and one (6-3). Liberty's no. 1 pair and back-to-back CUSA Doubles Pair of the Week, Daniella O'Neill and Maria Turchetto secured their sixth-consecutive victory. On court two, the pair of Yoanna Radulova and Anika Lemus were on match point up 5-3 when the point was clinched.
At the beginning of the singles round, the Lady Flames dropped planned No. 2 singles Yu-Yun Chen who was unable to continue. O'Neill was elevated to No. 2 while the rest of the lineup moved up one position with Sadie Daavettila entering into the No. 6 position.
Celina Joseph kicked things off with a commanding 6-1, 6-1 triumph in the No. 5 singles match. Daavettila battled back from a difficult 6-3 first-set loss on court six. She dominated the rest of the match while only dropping two games in the second and third set for the 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 victory. WKU secured a singles match on court two as O'Neill fell in a tight back-and-forth match, 6-4, 7-5.
Liberty secured the match-winning fourth point in the No. 1 singles match. Neither player was able to create more than a two-game lead in the first set with Radulova taking an initial tiebreaker 7-6 (4) Radulova jumped out to an early 2-0 lead and was able to hold onto the break over Rachel Hermanova for the 7-6 (4), 6-4 triumph.
With two road matches remaining, the Lady Flames finish the regular season with a 6-5 record at home. Liberty improves to 3-0 all-time against the Hilltoppers.
Liberty 4, Western Kentucky 1
Singles Competition
1. Yoanna Radulova (LIBERTYW) def. Rachel Hermanova (WKU) 7-6 (7-4), 6-4
2. Sofia Blanco (WKU) def. Daniella O'Neill (LIBERTYW) 6-4, 7-5
3. Maria Turchetto (LIBERTYW) vs. Mariana Zegada (WKU) 5-7, 6-4, unfinished
4. Anika Lemus (LIBERTYW) vs. Sunskrithi Damera (WKU) 6-4, 4-5, unfinished
5. Celina Joseph (LIBERTYW) def. Emily Schut (WKU) 6-1, 6-1
6. Sadie Daavettila (LIBERTYW) def. Elizabeth Sobieski (WKU) 3-6, 6-1, 6-1
Doubles Competition
1. Daniella O'Neill/Maria Turchetto (LIBERTYW) def. Sofia Blanco/Rachel Hermanova (WKU) 6-3
2. Yoanna Radulova/Anika Lemus (LIBERTYW) vs. Emily Schut/Mariana Zegada (WKU) 5-3, unfinished
3. Celina Joseph/Yu-Yun Chen (LIBERTYW) def. Elizabeth Sobieski/Sunskrithi Damera (WKU) 6-1
Western Kentucky 13-8 (2-2)
Liberty 10-11 (4-1)
Order of Finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (5,6,2,1)
Lady Flames News & Notes
Up Next
Liberty (10-11, 4-1 CUSA) wraps up the regular season on the road at Louisiana Tech (13-8, 3-0 CUSA) on Friday at 12 p.m. ET/11 a.m. CT and Sam Houston (5-8, 0-4 CUSA) on Sunday at 11 a.m. ET/10 p.m. CT.
The Lady Flames took the doubles with a strong showing on courts three (6-1) and one (6-3). Liberty's no. 1 pair and back-to-back CUSA Doubles Pair of the Week, Daniella O'Neill and Maria Turchetto secured their sixth-consecutive victory. On court two, the pair of Yoanna Radulova and Anika Lemus were on match point up 5-3 when the point was clinched.
At the beginning of the singles round, the Lady Flames dropped planned No. 2 singles Yu-Yun Chen who was unable to continue. O'Neill was elevated to No. 2 while the rest of the lineup moved up one position with Sadie Daavettila entering into the No. 6 position.
Celina Joseph kicked things off with a commanding 6-1, 6-1 triumph in the No. 5 singles match. Daavettila battled back from a difficult 6-3 first-set loss on court six. She dominated the rest of the match while only dropping two games in the second and third set for the 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 victory. WKU secured a singles match on court two as O'Neill fell in a tight back-and-forth match, 6-4, 7-5.
Liberty secured the match-winning fourth point in the No. 1 singles match. Neither player was able to create more than a two-game lead in the first set with Radulova taking an initial tiebreaker 7-6 (4) Radulova jumped out to an early 2-0 lead and was able to hold onto the break over Rachel Hermanova for the 7-6 (4), 6-4 triumph.
With two road matches remaining, the Lady Flames finish the regular season with a 6-5 record at home. Liberty improves to 3-0 all-time against the Hilltoppers.
Liberty 4, Western Kentucky 1
Singles Competition
1. Yoanna Radulova (LIBERTYW) def. Rachel Hermanova (WKU) 7-6 (7-4), 6-4
2. Sofia Blanco (WKU) def. Daniella O'Neill (LIBERTYW) 6-4, 7-5
3. Maria Turchetto (LIBERTYW) vs. Mariana Zegada (WKU) 5-7, 6-4, unfinished
4. Anika Lemus (LIBERTYW) vs. Sunskrithi Damera (WKU) 6-4, 4-5, unfinished
5. Celina Joseph (LIBERTYW) def. Emily Schut (WKU) 6-1, 6-1
6. Sadie Daavettila (LIBERTYW) def. Elizabeth Sobieski (WKU) 3-6, 6-1, 6-1
Doubles Competition
1. Daniella O'Neill/Maria Turchetto (LIBERTYW) def. Sofia Blanco/Rachel Hermanova (WKU) 6-3
2. Yoanna Radulova/Anika Lemus (LIBERTYW) vs. Emily Schut/Mariana Zegada (WKU) 5-3, unfinished
3. Celina Joseph/Yu-Yun Chen (LIBERTYW) def. Elizabeth Sobieski/Sunskrithi Damera (WKU) 6-1
Western Kentucky 13-8 (2-2)
Liberty 10-11 (4-1)
Order of Finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (5,6,2,1)
Lady Flames News & Notes
- Radulova (8-7) secured her first singles win since March 2 (6-2, 6-3 vs. UNCG). In that stretch, the freshman had an 0-3 record in seven matches.
- Joseph (9-10) extended her winning streak to four singles matches. She is undefeated (4-0) in five CUSA matches.
- Liberty has secured the doubles point in eight of its past 10 matches.
Up Next
Liberty (10-11, 4-1 CUSA) wraps up the regular season on the road at Louisiana Tech (13-8, 3-0 CUSA) on Friday at 12 p.m. ET/11 a.m. CT and Sam Houston (5-8, 0-4 CUSA) on Sunday at 11 a.m. ET/10 p.m. CT.
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
3,1
#1 Singles Match
12
Rachel Hermanova / 0 [WKU]
64
76
#2 Singles Match
12
Sofia Blanco / 0 [WKU]
67
45
#3 Singles Match
123
Mariana Zegada / 0 [WKU]
740
56UF
#4 Singles Match
123
Sunskrithi Damera / 0 [WKU]
450
64UF
#5 Singles Match
12
Emily Schut / 0 [WKU]
11
66
#6 Singles Match
123
Elizabeth Sobieski / 0 [WKU]
611
366
Order of Finish:
5,6,2,1
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
Coach Connell Talks About The Win Over KSU
Thursday, April 17
Joaquim Almeida Talks About The Upcoming CUSA Tournament
Tuesday, April 15
Daniella O'Neill Talks About The Upcoming CUSA Tournament
Tuesday, April 15
Joaquim Almeida: Finding the Lord and Liberty
Friday, April 11