WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – Trailing 3-2 with two matches remaining, William & Mary needed wins in the final two to knock off reigning Atlantic-10 Champion VCU. Sophomore Hedda Gurholt and senior Alisia Manolescu delivered in the clutch to lift the Tribe (6-2) to a thrilling 4-3 win at the McCormack-Nagelsen Tennis Center on Saturday afternoon.  
 
How It Happened
- VCU (2-6) opened the match by taking the doubles point behind wins at the top two positions.
- Graduate student Sofiya Kuzina quickly evened the match with a dominating win at No. 2. She dropped just three games in a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Yelizaveta Karlova. Kuzina won for the 10th time this season and fourth in dual-match play.  
- Senior Elisa Van Meeteren notched her team-leading 12th singles win of the season in straight sets to give the Tribe a 2-1 lead. She downed Gabriela Davidescu, 6-4, 6-1, at No. 3 for her fourth dual-match victory of the year.
- After VCU picked up wins at No. 4 and No. 6 to move back in front, 3-2, Gurholt posted a three-set win at the top spot to tie the match. The Tribe sophomore and VCU's Victoria Smirnova split 6-3 sets to start the match, before Gurholt pulled out the third, 7-5, for her 10th win of the season. She is 5-2 at No. 1.
- Manolescu clinched the Tribe triumph behind a nail-biting victory at No. 5. The Tribe senior pulled out a pair of tiebreaker wins, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (4), in downing Anja Draskovic. Manolescu improved to 7-5 overall and 3-2 in dual-match action.
 
Up Next
The Tribe returns to action when it travels to Lynchburg for a pair of matches. W&M takes on Charlotte in a neutral site match on Saturday, March 4, before facing Liberty on Sunday, March 5. Both matches carry a noon start time.
 
William & Mary 4, VCU 3
Singles
No. 1 – Hedda Gurholt (W&M) def. Victoria Smirnova (VCU) – 6-3, 3-6, 7-5  
No. 2 – Sofiya Kuzina (W&M) def. Yelizaveta Karlova (VCU) – 6-2, 6-1
No. 3 – Elisa Van Meeteren (W&M) def. Gabriela Davidescu (VCU) – 6-4, 6-1
No. 4 – Victoria Matasova (VCU) def. Emma Fernald (W&M) – 7-6 (5), 7-5
No. 5 – Alisia Manolescu (W&M) def. Anja Draskovic (VCU) – 7-6 (2), 7-6 (4)
No. 6 – Emma Valletta (VCU) def. Emma Pell (W&M) – 7-5, 6-2
Finishing Order: 2, 3, 6, 4, 1, 5*
 
Doubles
No. 1 – Karlova/Matasova (VCU) def. Fernald/Van Meeteren (W&M) – 6-1
No. 2 – V. Smirnova/Valletta (VCU) vs. Alhach/Gurholt (W&M) – 6-2
No. 3 - #35 Kuzina/Stange (W&M) vs. Draskovic /A. Smirnova – DNF, 5-2
Finishing Order: 1, 2*