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Women's Tennis Kirk Downs

Popova shines in split weekend for Women's Tennis



NASHVILLE – Lipscomb women's tennis split a pair of matches this weekend, defeating Radford 5-2 on Thursday at home before falling 4-3 to Murray State on the road Saturday.

The Bisons move to 5-6 on the year with the results.

"The girls played really well this weekend, we just came up a little short against Murray State," head coach Jamie Aid said. "I loved our energy in doubles. And even though we lost the match, our energy through the night was the best it had been all year and that was great to see."

Against the Highlanders, the Bisons were able to get in front with the doubles point after Kate Popova and Sasha Dobranos clinched a 6-3 decision at the top position.

The momentum carried over into singles for the purple and gold. Maddox Bandy (6-2, 6-4) and Dobranos (6-3, 6-3) made quick work in straight sets at the No. 5 and No. 3 lines, respectively to make it a 3-0 lead for Lipscomb.

Popova clinched the match victory on the top line with a 7-6 (6-3, 6-2 victory over Radford's Melissa Ifidzhen. Anja Trbeznik earned the final point for the Bisons with a hard-fought decision on court four 6-2, 5-7, 6-1.

The Highlanders (2-4) came back to win a pair of three-set matches at No. 2 and No. 6.

In the final match of the weekend, the Bisons and Racers battled down to the wire before Murray State ultimately pulled out a three-set win in No. 6 singles to get the 4-3 victory.

Lipscomb once again grabbed the doubles point when Liza Diachenko and Dobranos won 6-4 at No. 2 before Popova and Trbeznik edged MSU's top pairing 7-6 to secure the point.

In singles action, Murray State swept on courts two and three to take a 2-1 lead in the match. Popova pulled the Bisons back even with her fourth win of the weekend behind a 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 decision at the top position.

Trbeznik followed suit with a three-set thriller (6-4, 4-6, 7-6) on the fourth line before the Racers sent the match to the final point on court five with a sweep.

"We saw the best tennis of the year out of Anja and Maddox," Aid said. "It was a good night all-in-all, it just came down to No. 6 and Maddox was able to fight for that third. They (Murray State) just executed on deuce points."
 

WHAT'S NEXT
The Bisons start ASUN play next weekend at the Huston-Marsh-Griffith Tennis Center. They will host Bellarmine on Friday and then Liberty on Sunday. Both matches will begin at 10 a.m.
"I thought we took a big step forward this weekend and it was a good match to roll into ASUN play with," Aid said.
 
 
  
Thursday, March 11: Lipscomb 5, Radford 2
Singles:
1. Popova (LIPW) def. IFIDZHEN, Melissa (RADW) 7-6 (6-3), 6-2
2. LOUDILI, Salma (RADW) def. Zakordoniec (LIPW) 4-6, 6-3, 6-1
3. Dobranos (LIPW) def. FALK, Malin (RADW) 6-3, 6-3
4. Trbeznik (LIPW) def. BRANDOW, Emily (RADW) 6-2, 5-7, 6-1
5. Bandy (LIPW) def. MCCLURE, Camryn (RADW) 6-2, 6-4
6. FRUEHAUF, Katey (RADW) def. Chapman (LIPW) 6-4, 5-7, 6-3
Doubles:
1. Popova/Dobranos (LIPW) def. IFIDZHEN, Melissa/LOUDILI, Salma (RADW) 6-3
2. Zakordoniec/Diachenko (LIPW) def. FALK, Malin/BRANDOW, Emily (RADW) 6-2
3. Bandy/Howard (LIPW) vs. BLALOCK, Tyler/FRUEHAUF, Katey (RADW) 5-4, unfinished

Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (5,3,1,4,2,6)


Saturday, March 13: Murray State 4, Lipscomb 3
Singles:
1. POPOVA, Kate (LIPW) def. Stasya Sharapova (MUR) 6-3, 2-6, 6-3
2. Sara Loncarevic (MUR) def. ZAKORDONIEC, Emma (LIPW) 6-2, 6-0
3. Sarah Bureau (MUR) def. DOBRANOS, Sasha (LIPW) 6-2, 7-6
4. TRBEZNIK, Anja (LIPW) def. Marit Kreugel (MUR) 6-4, 4-6, 7-6
5. Anja Loncarevic (MUR) def. DIACHENKO, Liza (LIPW) 6-2, 6-4
6. Gabrielle Geolier (MUR) def. BANDY, Maddox (LIPW) 6-1, 3-6, 6-2

Doubles:
1. POPOVA, Kate/TRBEZNIK, Anja (LIPW) def. Gabrielle Geolier/Stasya Sharapova (MUR) 7-6
2. DOBRANOS, Sasha/DIACHENKO, Liza (LIPW) def. Sarah Bureau/Anja Loncarevic (MUR) 6-4
3. Sara Loncarevic/Marit Kreugel (MUR) vs. HOWARD, Perri/BANDY, Maddox (LIPW) 6-6, unfinished

Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (2,3,1,4,5,6)


 
 
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Players Mentioned

Maddox Bandy

Maddox Bandy

5' 7"
Junior
Liza Diachenko

Liza Diachenko

5' 8"
Junior
Kate Popova

Kate Popova

5' 5"
Senior
Anja Trbeznik

Anja Trbeznik

Sophomore
Sasha Dobranos

Sasha Dobranos

Freshman

Players Mentioned

Maddox Bandy

Maddox Bandy

5' 7"
Junior
Liza Diachenko

Liza Diachenko

5' 8"
Junior
Kate Popova

Kate Popova

5' 5"
Senior
Anja Trbeznik

Anja Trbeznik

Sophomore
Sasha Dobranos

Sasha Dobranos

Freshman
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