WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – Junior Ashley Sandler (Jericho, N.Y./Syosset) and freshman Robyn Belen (Marlboro, N.J./Marlboro) picked up singles victories, but the Monmouth University women's tennis team fell to visiting Delaware State, 5-2, Thursday afternoon at the MU Tennis Courts.
Sandler, playing No. 2 singles, held a commanding 5-2 advantage before Maja Banas retired, while Belen cruised to a 6-3, 6-1 over her No. 6 counterpart. Despite the defeats, MU received strong performances from its No. 3 and No. 4 players. Farrah Smoke (Spring Lake Heights, N.J./Manasquan [Brookdale C.C.]), playing No. 3, was edged in the opening set 7-6 (5), but rallied in the second set, earning a 6-4 win to force the decisive third set, but the Hornets claimed the point with a 10-4 win. Kendal Kauffman (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South) rebounded from a 6-2 first-set setback with her 6-4 win. In the third set, facing match point, the rookie rattled off wins in four straight games to close within 5-4, but Vanja Andonova sealed the 6-4 victory to claim the match.
Monmouth returns to action on Saturday, April 12th, when its hosts Hofstra at 2 p.m.
@MonmouthWTen
Tennis Match Results
Delaware State vs Monmouth
Apr 10, 2014 at West Long Branch, N.J.
Delaware State 5, Monmouth 2
Singles competition
1. Kozlova, Ksinia (DSU) def. Verdiglione, Brooke (MU-W) 6-1, 6-3
2. Sandler, Ashley (MU-W) def. Banas, Maja (DSU) 5-2, retired
3. Khokhan, M. (DSU) def. Smoke, Farrah (MU-W) 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 10-4
4. Andonova, Vanja (DSU) def. Kauffman, Kendal (MU-W) 6-2, 4-6, 6-4
5. Aleksic, Kristina (DSU) def. Gabriel, Chioma (MU-W) 6-2, 6-1
6. Belen, Robyn (MU-W) def. Kabylbekova, B. (DSU) 6-3, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. Kozlova, Ksinia/Andonova, Vanja (DSU) def. Verdiglione, Brooke/Smoke, Farrah (MU-W) 8-4
2. Aleksic, Kristina/Banas, Maja (DSU) def. Sandler, Ashley/Gabriel, Chioma (MU-W) 8-7 (7-4)
3. Khokhan, M./Kabylbekova, B. (DSU) def. Kauffman, Kendal/Turner, Sarah (MU-W) 8-6
Match Notes:
Monmouth 4-12 (1-5 MAAC)
