DAVIDSON, N.C. – Junior
Samantha Galainena (Burr Ridge, Ill.) led the Wildcats back from a 2-1 deficit by earning a key three-set singles win as Davidson opened up the 2010 women’s tennis spring season with a thrilling 4-3 win over visiting South Carolina State on Monday afternoon at the Knobloch Tennis Center.
With the match tied at 3-3, Galainena sealed the win by blanking I-Chun Chen, 6-0, in the final set at No. 5 singles to give the Wildcats the winning point. The junior regrouped after falling 6-4 in the first set by taking a 6-4 decision in the second set. She then rolled in the third set to give Davidson the win.
The junior is coming off a strong sophomore season a year ago, going 9-9 in singles play and 5-5 in doubles action.
Earlier, Galainena along with
Ali Gores (Charlotte, N.C.) were the lone Wildcat doubles team to pick up a win. They secured an 8-5 decision over Laura Bosneag and Fanni Fricska at No. 3 doubles.
Davidson trailed the match 2-1 after South Carolina State grabbed a win at No. 3 singles. Prior to that,
Alison Rauh (Trier, Germany) opened up her junior year in impressive fashion with a 6-0, 6-0 victory at No. 2 singles to tie the match up at 1-all.
Picking up the Wildcats other two points on the day were senior
Teresa Wang (Charlotte, N.C.) and sophomore
Stephani Synn (Conover, N.C.) at No. 4 and 6 singles, respectively. Wang, in her first singles match since 2008, won a hard-fought battle with Bosneag, winning the first set in a tie breaker, 7-6, before finishing out the match with a 6-4 decision. The senior was forced to miss all of last season due to a preseason injury.
Synn, who also missed all of last year, started her collegiate debut with a nice 6-4, 7-6 win over Iveta Blodniece.
Davidson returns to action with a doubleheader this weekend, Feb. 6. The ‘Cats first open up against Wingate at 10 a.m., and then close out the day with a 3 p.m. match against North Carolina A&T.
Davidson College 4, South Carolina State 3
Singles competition
1. Daria Sekerina (USCS) def. Virginia Berry (DAV) 6-2, 6-3
2. Alison Rauh (DAV) def. Fanni Fricska (USCS) 6-0, 6-0
3. Maria Craciun (USCS) def. Ali Gores (DAV) 6-0, 6-3
4. Teresa Wang (DAV) def. Laura Bosneag (USCS) 7-6, 6-4
5. Samantha Galainena (DAV) def. I-Chun Chen (USCS) 4-6, 6-4, 6-0
6. Stephani Synn (DAV) def. Iveta Blodniece (USCS) 6-4, 7-6
Doubles competition
1. Maria Craciun/Daria Sekerina (USCS) def. Virginia Berry/Teresa Wang (DAV) 8-4
2. I-Chun Chen/Sarai Torres (USCS) def. Stephani Synn/Katharine Dicconson (DAV) 9-8
3. Ali Gores/Samantha Galainena (DAV) def. Laura Bosneag/Fanni Fricska (USCS) 8-5