Firebirds Fight to Finish in 5-4 Loss at Goldey-Beacom

WILMINGTON, DE – The University of the District of Columbia women's tennis team battled from start to finish in a narrow, 5-4 loss on the road to the No. 3 ranked team in the NCAA Division II East Region, Goldey-Beacom College.

The Firebirds (6-6) won the top two doubles matches and the top two singles matches, but the decisive 5^th match point eluded UDC with losses at No. 3 and 4 singles. The Lightning improved to 12-1 on the season with today's win.

In doubles play, the No. 1 flight pit the No. 2 ranked doubles team in the region, UDC's Dominika Hadnadova and Alena Skobkina, vs. the No. 10 ranked team from GBC, Francesca Beg and Nina Sengl.  Hadnadova and Skobkina got the better of the Lightning pair, as they won, 8-5. Before that No. 1 doubles match was decided, UDC's No. 2 pair of sophomore Paula Avellan and freshman Estefania Castrillon finished off an 8-4 victory over Raquel Morais and Anna Hortelano Pey. UDC led 2-1 heading into singles action.

UDC trailed 4-2 after Sengl bested Castrillon, 6-4, 6-0 at No. 4 singles, but Skobkina and Hadnadova earned back-to-back wins at No. 2 and No. 1 respectively, and forced a 4-4 tie with only one unfinished match remaining on the courts. Skobkina edged Beg, 7-5 in the first set and 6-4 in the 2^nd set to get the win and hand Beg only her 3^rd loss in 11 singles matches this season. Hadnadova, No. 13 in the ITA East Region poll, defeated No. 15 Hortelano Pey, 6-2, 6-4, giving Hortelano Pey just  her 2^nd loss in 10 matches this season.

Avellan forced five tie-breaks in a wild, 7-6(5) first set loss to Alma Garcia (11-1), and she went on to also lose the 2^nd set, 6-4.

UDC will host Chestnut Hill College on Monday, April 10^th at 1 p.m.