Women's Tennis Falls to Visiting VCU, 5-2

Friday, March 25

Memphis, Tenn.

12:00 p.m.

University of Memphis

Virginia Commonwealth University

Photo by: UofM Athletic Media Relations

Mar 25, 2016 | Women's Tennis

Berres and Sohn add singles wins in home match.

By: Tammy DeGroff

Photo Gallery

MEMPHIS – Memphis got singles wins from freshman Janina Berres and sophomore Hanna Sohn, but fell 5-2 to visiting VCU (5-7) in non-conference play, Friday.

Memphis has already been playing short-staffed in matches due to an injury to Anki Wind, but the Lady Tigers were also without Tara McElroy for the match with a foot injury. The short lineup meant Memphis had to forfeit at three doubles and VCU needed just one win, which they got at number one, 6-2, to take a 2-0 lead in the match since there was also no Memphis singles entry at number six.

Berres came back from 4-3 down in the first set to win 7-5, then used a 6-2 second set win to cut Memphis' deficit to one at 2-1 down.

The other four singles matches were all heading to third sets after Berres' match was done at number four. Senior Kathryn Hughes led 6-1 and was up in the second set, but fell in a tiebreaker to go to a third set. Next to Hughes, Marta Morga shook off a slow start that saw her lose her opening set, 6-0, to win her second set, 6-1. But the battle at three ended in the Rams' favor, with Janina Braun winning 7-5 in the third for a 3-1 lead.

Back on court five, Gabrielle Paul had recovered after her first set slipped away, 7-5, and she won the second set 6-1, but didn't have enough left for the third, falling 6-0 for VCU to seal the win.

The two teams were going to play out the remaining singles matches, but after a medical timeout at the break between the second and third sets, Hughes could not go any deeper in the third set than 4-2 down, so she retired from the set for a 5-1 VCU score.

Sohn closed the match with a win at one singles for Memphis' second point, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.

Memphis will host Middle Tennessee, Sunday, at noon, at The Racquet Club of Memphis. VCU will remain in Memphis to face Middle Tennessee, Saturday, at noon, in a neutral site match.

VCU 5, Memphis 2
Doubles
No. 1 – Anna Rasmussen/Janina Braun (VCU) def. Hanna Sohn/Janina Berres (Memphis), 6-2
No. 2 – Kathryn Hughes/Gabrielle Paul (Memphis) vs. Sofia Sergerfors/Magda Aubets, 3-4, uf
No. 3 – No Memphis entry
Singles
No. 1 – Hanna Sohn (Memphis) def. Anna Rasmussen, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2
No. 2 – Magda Aubets def. Kathryn Hughes (Memphis), 1-6, 7-6 (4), 4-2, retired
No. 3 – Janina Braun def. Marta Morga (Memphis), 6-0, 1-6, 7-5
No. 4 – Janina Berres (Memphis) def. Darya Berezhnaya, 7-5, 6-2
No. 5 – Yana Morar def. Gabrielle Paul (Memphis), 7-5, 1-6, 6-0
No. 6 – Sofia Segerfords won by default