WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – Wednesday afternoon's women's tennis match between William & Mary and ACC foe Virginia Tech had the twists and turns of a Hollywood blockbuster. The tilt started as a Hokies' route and turned into an epic Tribe comeback, but, unfortunately, ended in a heartbreaking 5-2 setback for the home-standing Green and Gold at the McCormack-Nagelsen Tennis Center.
 
After the visiting Hokies (6-7) jumped out to a 3-0 lead, including first-set victories at five of six singles positions, the Tribe (4-9) started its comeback. The four remaining matches carried into third sets, including three in which Tribe players rallied from set deficits. Despite junior Natalia Perry's nationally-ranked win at No. 1 and classmate Charlotte Madson's come-from-behind three-set triumph on line five, Virginia Tech held off the Tribe rally behind tiebreaker three-set wins at both No. 2 and No. 6.
 
How It Happened
- Perry and freshman Mila Saric pulled the Tribe even in doubles with a win at the No. 2 spot. The Green and Gold tandem won three-straight games to take a 5-3 lead on the way to a 6-3 triumph. Perry and Saric won for the fourth time in the last five matches to improve to 8-3 in dual-match competition.
- Virginia Tech claimed the doubles point as Sarah Baron and Samantha Gillas topped senior Lauren Goodman and Madson, 6-3, at the No. 3 post.
- The Hokies' Elizabet Danailova and Gillas notched straight-set wins on lines three and four to increase the visitors' lead to 3-0.
- Perry jumped out to a set advantage at the top spot over No. 101-ranked Natalie Novotna, taking the first set, 6-3. After the All-ACC performer rallied with a 6-4 triumph in the second, Perry knocked off the nationally-ranked foe for the second time this season with a 6-4 third-set victory.
- Perry and Novotna met in the quarterfinals of the ITA Atlantic Region Singles Championship in October where Perry topped then-No. 32-ranked Novotna. It marked Perry's third career nationally-ranked win and her first career triumph at the top singles spot. She recorded her 11th overall win this season and fifth in dual-match play.
- At No. 5, Madson rallied from a set deficit to drop Shene Disbergen avenging a loss from the fall season. The Virginia Tech junior took the opening set in a tiebreaker before Madson stormed back dropping just three games over the final two sets in a 6-1, 6-2 victory. The Tribe junior improved to 4-3 at the No. 5 post with her seventh win of the year.
- The matches at both No. 2 and No. 6 came down to third-set tiebreakers, and the visiting Hokies pulled out both to cement the team victory. Rita Pinto and sophomore Vitoria Okuyama split the opening two sets by matching 6-2 scores. In the decisive third, Pinto outlasted Okuyama, 7-6 (4), to clinch VT's victory.
- On the second line, senior Clara Tanielian rallied to force a third set. Nika Kozar won the opening set, 6-1, before Tanielian answered with a 7-5 win in the second. Kozar rounded out the Hokies win with a 7-6 (4) triumph in the third.  
 
Up Next
- W&M returns to action when it wraps up a three-match homestand against CAA counterpart Delaware on Saturday, March 16.
- The match carries an 11 a.m. start time from the Millie West Tennis Facility, weather permitting.
- The Tribe is currently 1-0 in CAA play after a 5-2 win over Elon on Feb. 10.
 
Virginia Tech 5, William & Mary 2
Singles
No. 1 – Natalia Perry (W&M) def. #101 Natalie Novotna (VT) – 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
No. 2 – Nika Kozar (VT) def. Clara Tanielian (W&M) – 6-1, 5-7, 7-6 (4)
No. 3 – Elizabet Danailova (VT) def. Mila Saric (W&M) – 6-3, 6-1
No. 4 – Samantha Gillas (VT) def. Lauren Goodman (W&M) – 6-1, 6-1
No. 5 – Charlotte Madson (W&M) def. Shene Disbergen (VT) – 6-7, 6-1, 6-2
No. 6 – Rita Pinto (VT) def. Vitoria Okuyama (W&M) – 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (4)
Finishing Order: 4, 3, 6*, 1, 5, 2
 
Doubles
No. 1 – Novotna/Pinto (VT) def. Tanielian/Okuyama (W&M) – 6-2
No. 2 – Perry/Saric (W&M) def. Kozar/Sorkin (VT) – 6-3
No. 3 – Baron/Gillas (VT) def. Goodman/Madson (W&M) – 6-3
Finishing Order: 1, 2, 3*