Temple finished its weekend of nonconference play with a 1-1 record after losing to James Madison University 4-3 on Friday and defeating Saint. Francis University 6-1 on Saturday.
On Friday, the Owls (7-5, 1-0 American Athletic Conference) had a fast start, winning two of their three doubles matches at the Hamlin Tennis Courts on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania.
After junior Alina Abdurakhimova and senior Dina Karina fell in the top spot, juniors Monet Stuckey-Willis and Yana Khon followed with a dominant 6-0 win. In the final doubles spot, seniors Anais Nussaume and Mariana Bedon won 7-6 (5).
In the top singles spot, Abdurakhimova lost 6-3, 6-4. Stuckey-Willis followed with a 6-4, 6-2 win. In the third position, Khon lost a tough match 6-2, 7-5 before Karina made up for it with a 6-4, 6-4 victory.
Karina’s win was the Owls’ last of the night, as Nussaume fell in the fifth position 6-4, 6-2, and Bedon lost the only three-set match of the evening 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. The comeback win in the sixth position sealed the victory for the Dukes.
On Saturday, the Owls closed the weekend with a win against St. Francis to avoid losing their third match in their last four contests.
Temple swept all three doubles matches to take the first point at the Aquatic Fitness Center in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania. Abdurakhimova and Karina started the match with a 6-4 win before Stuckey-Willis and Khon won 6-2 in the second position. Nussaume and Bedon were victorious in the final doubles position by default.
In singles, the Owls won the first three matches easily. Abdurakhimova won 6-0, 6-1 in the top position before Stuckey-Willis 6-1, 6-0. Karina won the third match 6-3, 6-2.
In the fourth position, Khon lost her second singles match of the weekend 7-5, 6-1. However, that would be the Owls’ only loss on the day as freshman Cecilia Castelli was victorious in the fifth position 6-4, 6-1 and Bedon closed the match with a win by default.
Temple will have a quick turnaround, as the team takes on City 6 rival Drexel on Wednesday in an early morning matchup. The Owls will resume conference play when they travel to face Tulsa on Sunday.
Graham Foley can be reached at graham.foley@temple.edu or on Twitter @graham_foley3. Follow The Temple News @TheTempleNews and @TTN_Sports.
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