UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State women's tennis team battled for a hard-fought 4-3 win over Indiana in the Nittany Lions' home opener Friday afternoon inside the Indoor Tennis Center. Freshman Alexandra Nielsen clinched the match at No. 6 singles as Penn State beat the Hoosiers for the first time since 2015.
Penn State improves to 2-0 on the young season and 1-0 in official Big Ten play.
Doubles
The Nittany Lions were narrowly defeated in all three doubles matches, losing the point.
Alexandra Nielsen (Vancouver, B.C., Canada) Gabby O'Gorman (Gunnedah, N.S. Wales, Australia) lost in a valiant comeback effort to Annabelle Andrinopoulos and Jelly Bozovic, 4-6.
Frederikke Svarre (Copenhagen, Denmark) and Sofiya Chekhlystova (Tallinn, Estonia) were defeated by Michelle McKamey and Alexandra Staiuculescu in a 4-6 match to secure the doubles point for the Hoosiers.
Karly Friedland (Hollywood, Fl.) and Samantha Smith (Cary, N.C.) lost to Laura Masic and Mila Mejic in a tight 4-6 match to wrap up doubles action.
Singles
O'Gorman pulled the Nittany Lions even with a strong 6-3, 6-2 showing in a win over Annabelle Andrinopoulos.
Friedland's first career singles win gave Penn State the lead as she handled Bozovic, 6-4, 6-4.
Indiana stormed back as Svarre fell in a hard fought 1-6, 6-4, 4-6 loss to Alexandra Staiuculescu.
Chekhlystova came up just short in a 6-1, 4-6, 4-6 battle against Masic to give Indiana the 3-2 advantage.
Smith drew the match back even as she defeated McKamey in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3. With her 66th career singles win, Smith moved into sole possession of third on Penn State's all-time singles record ahead of Petra Januskova (65).
The match came down to Nielsen against Rose Hu, with Nielsen earning her first career singles win, 7-5, 6-4 to clinch the victory for Penn State.
Up Next
The Nittany Lions will look to ride today's momentum as they battle Purdue on Sunday, Feb. 14 at 10 a.m.
Doubles Final
Annabelle Andrinopoulos/Jelly Bozovic (IU) def. Alexandra Nielsen/Gabby O'Gorman (PSU) 6-4
Laura Masic/Mila Mejic (IU) def. Karly Friedland/Samantha Smith (PSU) 6-4
Michelle McKamey/Alexandra Staiuculescu (IU) def. Frederikke Svarre/Sofiya Chekhlystova (PSU) 6-4
Order of finish: 1,3,2
Singles Final
Gabby O'Gorman (PSU) def. Annabelle Andrinopoulos (IU) 6-3, 6-2
Laura Masic (IU) def. Sofiya Chekhlystova (PSU) 1-6, 6-4, 6-4
Alexandra Staiuculescu (IU) def. Frederikke Svarre (PSU) 6-1, 4-6, 6-4
Karly Friedland (PSU) def. Jelly Bozovic (IU) 6-4, 6-4
Samantha Smith (PSU) def. Michelle McKamey (IU) 6-2, 6-3
Alexandra Nielsen (PSU) def. Rose Hu (IU) 7-5, 6-4
Order of finish: 1,4,3,2,5,6
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