Feb. 19, 2012

Results

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The 51st-ranked Maryland women's tennis team (4-4, 0-1 ACC) responded after dropping the doubles point and won five singles matches to earn a 5-2 decision over No. 60 William and Mary Sunday afternoon at McCormack Nagelsen Tennis Center. Freshman Mikele Irazusta extended her singles winning streak to four, and junior Ana Belzunce improved to 6-2 in the dual season.

After losing the doubles point, sophomore Welma Luus earned the Terps their first point of the match as Luus dispatched of Hope Johnson in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2, at the No. 3 position.

The Tribe regained the lead with a victory at No. 5, but Irazusta wrapped up a 6-4, 6-2, win at the No. 6 spot for her fourth consecutive singles win. During that span, Irazusta has won three of the four matches in straight sets and is now 5-3 this season.

The Terrapins turned to their ranked duo of No. 46 sophomore Cristina Stancu and No. 99 Belzunce to clinch the win. At the No. 1 position, Stancu edged Jeltje Loomans 7-1 in a first-set tiebreak and cruised 6-1 in the second set to pull the Terps within one point of the win. At the No. 2 position, Belzunce triumphed over Maria Belaya in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, to secure the match.

Junior Vroni Van Berlo wrapped up the match for Maryland at the No. 5 position. Van Berlo suffered a 6-0 defeat in the first set, but squeaked out a 7-3 win in the second-set tiebreak to extend the match. With the match already secured, Van Berlo tallied her fifth win of the season with a 10-7 triumph in the third set.

The Terps' lone win in doubles came at the No. 3 position. Stancu and Van Berlo defeated Katie Kargl and Syndey Smith 8-1.

Maryland is back on the court when it travels to New York, N.Y., to face Ivy League-foe Columbia on Sunday, Feb. 26 at 1 p.m.

No. 51 Maryland 5, No. 60 William and Mary 2

Singles
No. 1 - No. 46 Cristina Stancu (MD) def. Jeltje Loomans (W&M) - 7-6 (1), 6-1
No. 2 - No. 99 Ana Belzunce (MD) def. Maria Belaya (W&M) - 6-4, 6-3
No. 3 - Welma Luus (MD) def. Hope Johnson (W&M) - 6-2, 6-2
No. 4 - Vroni Van Berio (MD) def. Anik Cepeda (W&M) - 0-6, 7-6 (3), 10-7
No. 5 - Katie Kargl (W&M) def. Jordan Hansbrough (MD) - 6-1, 6-1
No. 6 - Mikele Irazusta (MD) def. Sydney Smith (W&M) - 6-4, 6-2
Finishing Order: 3, 5, 6, 1, 2*, 4 

Doubles
No. 1 - Loomans/Belaya (W&M) vs. No. 20 Belzunce/Luus (MD) - 8-3 
No. 2 - Cepeda/Johnson (W&M) def. Hansbrough/Irazusta (MD) - 8-2
No. 3 - Stancu/Van Berio (MD) def. Kargl/Smith (W&M) - 8-1
Finishing Order: 3, 2, 1*

- Terps -