Friday, March 6
Lynchburg, Va.
2:00 PM ET
Liberty University
3
vs
4
ETSU
Women’s Tennis Split Home Matches in Final Contests at Home
3/8/2026 6:30:00 PM | Women's Tennis
LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Liberty women's tennis team (9-4) split matches at home this weekend at the Liberty Tennis Complex, falling against ETSU (8-2) in a narrow 4-3 defeat, then bouncing back with a commanding 5-0 victory over Memphis (2-11) on Sunday.
The matches were a part of a joint home tennis weekend with the Liberty men's tennis team playing simultaneous matches. The Lady Flames enjoyed playing in front of a passionate home crowd in its final matches at home this season.
ETSU 4, #69 Liberty 3
In Friday's match against ETSU, Liberty earned singles victories at the No. 1, No. 3, and No. 5 positions but could not secure the doubles point, which proved decisive in the match outcome.
ETSU clinched the doubles point with victories on courts two and one. At No. 2 doubles, Julia Millan and Ksenija Rage defeated Daniella O'Neill and Celina Joseph, 6-1. Liberty responded with a win at No. 3 doubles where Candy Wai and Milana Tsulygina overcame Niyati Kukreti and Audelie Lesauvage, 6-4. The Buccanears clinched the ultimately critical doubles point with Alessandra Caceres and Mariangel Estrella's 6-4 triumph over Yoanna Radulova and Maria Turchetto at No. 1 doubles.
In singles action, ETSU quickly extended its lead with Mariangel Estrella's 6-2, 6-1 victory over Joseph at No. 6 singles. Radulova then fell to Caceres, 6-2, 6-2, on court two, giving ETSU a commanding 3-0 lead. Liberty began to crawl back as Turchetto secured a 6-3, 6-2 win against Millan at No. 3 singles. Wai added another point for Liberty with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Kukreti at No. 5 singles. O'Neill then leveled the overall score on court one, defeating Rage in straight sets, 7-6 (5), 6-4. The visitors clinched the match when Lesauvage edged Tsulygina, 7-6 (2), 6-3, at No. 4 singles.
Singles Competition
1. Daniella O'Neill (LIBERTYW) def. Ksenija Rage (ETSU) 7-6 (7-5), 6-4
2. Alessandra Caceres (ETSU) def. Yoanna Radulova (LIBERTYW) 6-2, 6-2
3. Maria Turchetto (LIBERTYW) def. Julia Millan (ETSU) 6-3, 6-2
4. Audelie Lesauvage (ETSU) def. Milana Tsulygina (LIBERTYW) 7-6 (7-2), 6-3
5. Candy Wai (LIBERTYW) def. Niyati Kukreti (ETSU) 6-4, 6-3
6. Mariangel Estrella (ETSU) def. Celina Joseph (LIBERTYW) 6-2, 6-1
Doubles Competition
1. Alessandra Caceres/Mariangel Estrella (ETSU) def. Yoanna Radulova/Maria Turchetto (LIBERTYW) 6-4
2. Julia Millan/Ksenija Rage (ETSU) def. Daniella O'Neill/Celina Joseph (LIBERTYW) 6-1
3. Candy Wai/Milana Tsulygina (LIBERTYW) def. Niyati Kukreti/Audelie Lesauvage (ETSU) 6-4
ETSU 8-2
Liberty 8-4; National ranking #69
Order of Finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (6,2,3,5,1,4)
#69 Liberty 5, Memphis 0
The Flames rebounded strongly against Memphis, securing the doubles point with victories at the No. 2 and No. 3 positions. Memphis forfeited No. 3 doubles and No. 6 singles only having five athletes active on Sunday. Liberty's Candy Wai and Celina Joseph clinched the doubles point on court two, defeating Clemence Thouard and Rebecca Frant 6-0. The match on court one was left unfinished, tied at 2-2.
In singles play, Liberty extended its lead with a strong performance across the board. Celina Joseph earned a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Marina Lubsheva at No. 5 singles. Playing to clinch, Liberty secured simultaneous match points to secure the 5-0 triumph. Maria Turchetto added the fourth point with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Clemence Thouard at No. 3 singles. Candy Wai immediately followed, winning 6-2, 6-4 against Rebecca Frant on court four. The matches on courts one and two featuring O'Neill and Raduolva were left unfinished.
Singles Competition
1. Daniella O'Neill (LIBERTYW) vs. Mykhailets, Sofiia (MEM) 6-2, 5-7, unfinished
2. Yoanna Radulova (LIBERTYW) vs. Dvorackova, Emma (MEM) 7-5, 4-3, unfinished
3. Maria Turchetto (LIBERTYW) def. Thouard, Clemence (MEM) 6-4, 6-2
4. Candy Wai (LIBERTYW) def. Frant, Rebecca (MEM) 6-2, 6-4
5. Celina Joseph (LIBERTYW) def. Lubsheva, Marina (MEM) 6-1, 6-0
6. Anika Lemus (LIBERTYW) def. Mall, Alicia (MEM), by forfeit
Doubles Competition
1. Yoanna Radulova/Maria Turchetto (LIBERTYW) vs. Mykhailets, Sofiia/Dvorackova, Emma (MEM) 2-2, unfinished
2. Candy Wai/Celina Joseph (LIBERTYW) def. Thouard, Clemence/Frant, Rebecca (MEM) 6-0
3. Daniella O'Neill/Milana Tsulygina (LIBERTYW) def. Lubsheva, Marina/Mall, Alicia (MEM), by forfeit
Memphis 2-11
Liberty 9-4; National ranking #69
Order of Finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (6,5,3,4)
Lady Flames News & Notes
Up Next
Liberty travels to Florida for a pair of road matches. The Lady Flames take on former Atlantic Sun rival, Florida Gulf Coast (10-4), on Friday at 10 a.m. before meeting South Florida (3-6) on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
The matches were a part of a joint home tennis weekend with the Liberty men's tennis team playing simultaneous matches. The Lady Flames enjoyed playing in front of a passionate home crowd in its final matches at home this season.
ETSU 4, #69 Liberty 3
In Friday's match against ETSU, Liberty earned singles victories at the No. 1, No. 3, and No. 5 positions but could not secure the doubles point, which proved decisive in the match outcome.
ETSU clinched the doubles point with victories on courts two and one. At No. 2 doubles, Julia Millan and Ksenija Rage defeated Daniella O'Neill and Celina Joseph, 6-1. Liberty responded with a win at No. 3 doubles where Candy Wai and Milana Tsulygina overcame Niyati Kukreti and Audelie Lesauvage, 6-4. The Buccanears clinched the ultimately critical doubles point with Alessandra Caceres and Mariangel Estrella's 6-4 triumph over Yoanna Radulova and Maria Turchetto at No. 1 doubles.
In singles action, ETSU quickly extended its lead with Mariangel Estrella's 6-2, 6-1 victory over Joseph at No. 6 singles. Radulova then fell to Caceres, 6-2, 6-2, on court two, giving ETSU a commanding 3-0 lead. Liberty began to crawl back as Turchetto secured a 6-3, 6-2 win against Millan at No. 3 singles. Wai added another point for Liberty with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Kukreti at No. 5 singles. O'Neill then leveled the overall score on court one, defeating Rage in straight sets, 7-6 (5), 6-4. The visitors clinched the match when Lesauvage edged Tsulygina, 7-6 (2), 6-3, at No. 4 singles.
Singles Competition
1. Daniella O'Neill (LIBERTYW) def. Ksenija Rage (ETSU) 7-6 (7-5), 6-4
2. Alessandra Caceres (ETSU) def. Yoanna Radulova (LIBERTYW) 6-2, 6-2
3. Maria Turchetto (LIBERTYW) def. Julia Millan (ETSU) 6-3, 6-2
4. Audelie Lesauvage (ETSU) def. Milana Tsulygina (LIBERTYW) 7-6 (7-2), 6-3
5. Candy Wai (LIBERTYW) def. Niyati Kukreti (ETSU) 6-4, 6-3
6. Mariangel Estrella (ETSU) def. Celina Joseph (LIBERTYW) 6-2, 6-1
Doubles Competition
1. Alessandra Caceres/Mariangel Estrella (ETSU) def. Yoanna Radulova/Maria Turchetto (LIBERTYW) 6-4
2. Julia Millan/Ksenija Rage (ETSU) def. Daniella O'Neill/Celina Joseph (LIBERTYW) 6-1
3. Candy Wai/Milana Tsulygina (LIBERTYW) def. Niyati Kukreti/Audelie Lesauvage (ETSU) 6-4
ETSU 8-2
Liberty 8-4; National ranking #69
Order of Finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (6,2,3,5,1,4)
#69 Liberty 5, Memphis 0
The Flames rebounded strongly against Memphis, securing the doubles point with victories at the No. 2 and No. 3 positions. Memphis forfeited No. 3 doubles and No. 6 singles only having five athletes active on Sunday. Liberty's Candy Wai and Celina Joseph clinched the doubles point on court two, defeating Clemence Thouard and Rebecca Frant 6-0. The match on court one was left unfinished, tied at 2-2.
In singles play, Liberty extended its lead with a strong performance across the board. Celina Joseph earned a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Marina Lubsheva at No. 5 singles. Playing to clinch, Liberty secured simultaneous match points to secure the 5-0 triumph. Maria Turchetto added the fourth point with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Clemence Thouard at No. 3 singles. Candy Wai immediately followed, winning 6-2, 6-4 against Rebecca Frant on court four. The matches on courts one and two featuring O'Neill and Raduolva were left unfinished.
Singles Competition
1. Daniella O'Neill (LIBERTYW) vs. Mykhailets, Sofiia (MEM) 6-2, 5-7, unfinished
2. Yoanna Radulova (LIBERTYW) vs. Dvorackova, Emma (MEM) 7-5, 4-3, unfinished
3. Maria Turchetto (LIBERTYW) def. Thouard, Clemence (MEM) 6-4, 6-2
4. Candy Wai (LIBERTYW) def. Frant, Rebecca (MEM) 6-2, 6-4
5. Celina Joseph (LIBERTYW) def. Lubsheva, Marina (MEM) 6-1, 6-0
6. Anika Lemus (LIBERTYW) def. Mall, Alicia (MEM), by forfeit
Doubles Competition
1. Yoanna Radulova/Maria Turchetto (LIBERTYW) vs. Mykhailets, Sofiia/Dvorackova, Emma (MEM) 2-2, unfinished
2. Candy Wai/Celina Joseph (LIBERTYW) def. Thouard, Clemence/Frant, Rebecca (MEM) 6-0
3. Daniella O'Neill/Milana Tsulygina (LIBERTYW) def. Lubsheva, Marina/Mall, Alicia (MEM), by forfeit
Memphis 2-11
Liberty 9-4; National ranking #69
Order of Finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (6,5,3,4)
Lady Flames News & Notes
- Liberty improves to 47-23 (.671) collectively in doubles and a 24-10 (.706) overall mark in singles.
- Wai finished as the only Lady Flame with a 4-0 weekend with a pair of doubles and singles triumphs.
- Turchetto and Wai were the only Lady Flames to go 2-0 in singles competition.
- Joseph leads Liberty with a 9-3 singles record this season.
Up Next
Liberty travels to Florida for a pair of road matches. The Lady Flames take on former Atlantic Sun rival, Florida Gulf Coast (10-4), on Friday at 10 a.m. before meeting South Florida (3-6) on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
2,3,1
#1 Singles Match
12
Ksenija Rage / 0 [ETSU]
64
76
#2 Singles Match
12
Alessandra Caceres / 0 [ETSU]
66
22
#3 Singles Match
12
Julia Millan / 0 [ETSU]
32
66
#4 Singles Match
12
Audelie Lesauvage / 0 [ETSU]
76
63
#5 Singles Match
12
Niyati Kukreti / 0 [ETSU]
43
66
#6 Singles Match
12
Mariangel Estrella / 0 [ETSU]
66
21
Order of Finish:
6,2,3,5,1,4
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
Carl Roothman & Coach Schwandt Talk About Preparing For The CUSA Tournament
Wednesday, April 15
Coach Connell & Daniella O'Neill Garcia Give An Update On The Women's Tennis Season
Thursday, April 09
Coach Schwandt & Benjamin Sparks Talk About The Win Over Elon
Saturday, April 04
Coach Connell Talks About The Win Over Delaware
Saturday, January 24