UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State protected home court with a 5-2 victory over Rutgers on Friday. The Nittany Lions improve to 6-5 and sweep the season series against Rutgers to end a three-game losing streak.
Doubles
The Nittany Lions took the doubles point in dramatic fashion with wins in No. 2 and 3.
Sofiya Chekhlystova (Talinn, Estonia) and Alexandra Nielsen (Talinn, Estonia) cruised to a 6-3 victory over Daira Cardenas and Jaci Cochrane.
Gabby O'Gorman (Gunnedah, N.S. Wales, Australia) and Karly Friedland (Hollywood, Fla.) were defeated in a heated 5-7 match against Maya Jacobs and Chloe Brown.
Samantha Smith (Cary, N.C.) and Frederikke Svarre (Copenhagen, Denmark) stormed back winning 5 consecutive games after trailing 1-4 to Alisa Prinyarux and Tess Fisher to earn a 6-4 win and clinch the doubles point for the Nittany Lions.
Singles
O'Gorman made quick work of Jacobs winning 6-2, 6-2 as Penn State took a 2-0 lead.
Chekhlystova lost a three-set match to Fisher 3-6, 6-0, 4-6 as Rutgers pulled within one.
Smith was defeated by Prinyarux 6(5)-7, 4-6 as Rutgers tied up the match.
Friedland came through in the clutch with a third-set tiebreak victory over Kaplan 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(2) as Penn State reclaimed the lead.
Nielsen clinched the match for the Nittany Lions as she defeated Brown 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
Alina Lebedeva (Moscow, Russia) added to the margin of victory with a 7-6(8), 6-3 win over Cochrane.
Up Next
Penn State will continue its homestand with a match against Maryland on Sunday.
Doubles Final
Maya Jacobs/Chloe Brown (RU) def. Gabby O'Gorman/Karly Friedland (PSU) 7-5
Samantha Smith/Frederikke Svarre (PSU) def. Alisa Prinyarux/Tess Fisher (RU) 6-4
Sofiya Chekhlystova/Alexandra Nielsen (PSU) def. Daira Cardenas/Jaci Cochrane (RU) 6-3
Order of finish: 3,1,2
Singles Final
Gabby O'Gorman (PSU) def. Maya Jacobs (RU) 6-2, 6-2
Tess Fisher (RU) def. Sofiya Chekhlystova (PSU) 6-3, 0-6, 6-4
Karly Friedland (PSU) def. Sydney Kaplan (RU) 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(2)
Alisa Prinyarux (RU) def. Samantha Smith (PSU) 7-6(5), 6-4
Alexandra Nielsen (PSU) def. Chloe Brown (RU) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4
Alina Lebedeva (PSU) def. Jaci Cochrane (RU) 7-6(8), 6-3
Order of finish: 1,2,4,3,5,6
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Mark Selders/Penn State Athletics