SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse University women’s tennis team could not overcome an early deficit, falling 4-1 to No. 16 California on Sunday afternoon at the Drumlins Tennis Club.
The Orange (5-8, 1-5) fell behind early after California started red hot in doubles. Naomi Xu and Mille Moerk produced a flawless 6-0 victory over Anastasia Sysoeva and Emma Scaldalai to put the Bears up early. Johanne Svendsen and Mao Mushika claimed the doubles point, defeating Serafima Shastova and Monika Wojcik 6-2. Berta Passola Folch and Sophie Hernandez notched a win over Leena Bennetto and Constance Levivier to close out doubles play.
Moerk picked up a second point for the Bears, taking down Levivier 6-3, 6-2. Mushika extended the lead to 3-0 with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Monika Wojcik. Scaldalai got the Orange on the board, winning 6-1, 6-3 over Xu. Svendsen clinched the match for the Bears, triumphing 7-5, 6-4 over Sysoeva in a tightly contested affair. Shastova won the first set over Passola Folch, the No. 8 ranked singles player in the nation, but the match went unfinished. Bennetto’s match against Laura Cilekova was also abandoned in the third set.
Syracuse heads to North Carolina for a clash with Wake Forest next Friday. The first doubles serve is slated for 4 p.m. at the Wake Forest Tennis Center.
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