Virginia Women’s Tennis Downs Vanderbilt 4-1 to Advance to NCAA Quarterfinals

The University of Virginia will be represented with two teams at the quarterfinals of the 2024 NCAA Tennis Championships next week. One day after the Cavalier men booked their ticket to Stillwater with a 4-1 win over South Carolina, the No. 5 seed Virginia women’s tennis team joined them by taking down Vanderbilt 4-1 on Saturday afternoon at the Virginia Tennis Facility at Boar’s Head in Charlottesville.

The Cavaliers got off to a strong start in doubles play, with Sara Ziodato and Meggie Navarro cruising past Anessa Lee and Amy Stevens 6-1 and Natasha Subhash and Hibah Shaikh earning a tough 7-5 win over Bridget Stammel and Valeria Ray to claim the doubles point. The other doubles match was knotted at six games apiece when the point was decided.

Elaine Chervinsky scored the first singles point for Virginia, beating Holly Staff 6-1, 6-2 on court 5. Natasha Subhash added a 6-3, 6-2 win over Valeria Ray on court 3 to make it 3-0 in favor of the Cavaliers. Vanderbilt’s lone point of the day came on the top court, where Celia-Bella Mohr outlasted Hibah Shaikh 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 to get the Commodores on the board.

After dropping the first set, Melodie Collard bounced back and ultimately clinched the victory for Virginia with a 1-6, 6-1, 6-4 win over Amy Stevens on court 6.

Virginia went a perfect 15-0 at home this season and has won 22-straight matches at Boar’s Head in Charlottesville. Saturday’s win was UVA’s 25th of the season, breaking the single-season program wins record.

“I’m just really proud of the entire team. I’m so happy for them and happy we could get this win today for our three seniors,” said UVA head coach Sara O’Leary. “They’ve meant so much to the program and it’s really bittersweet knowing that this is the last time they’ll play on these courts. But for them to finish with that match and this situation, I’m just really proud of them and really happy for them. We’re really excited for this opportunity and to get to keep playing. We’ll use this time today and tomorrow to really recover and then get back to work.”

The win advances Virginia to the quarterfinals for the fourth time in program history and second time in the last three years. UVA will face No. 13 seed Texas A&M, who handed the No. 4 seed North Carolina Tar Heels their first home loss in six years.

Virginia and Texas A&M will battle for a spot in the NCAA semifinals on Friday, May 17th at Oklahoma State’s Greenwood Tennis Center in Stillwater, Oklahoma.