Temple (9-7, 1-1 American Athletic Conference) lost to the University of Delaware on Thursday by a final score of 4-3 but shutout city rival La Salle on Friday by a score of 7-0 at the Hamlin Tennis Center on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania.
Against Delaware, the Owls had a rough start by losing the point in doubles. Juniors Monet Stuckey-Willis and Yana Khon lost the first doubles match 6-3 before senior Anais Nussaume and junior Alina Abdurakhimova lost 7-6 (8) to concede the point.
In the third doubles position, graduate student Galina Chernykh, who has been dealing with a foot injury, played for the first time since the Owls’ opening match of the season on Jan. 14. She and senior Dina Karina won by a score of 6-1.
In singles, Stuckey-Willis started in the top position for the first time all season, a spot that only Abdurakhimova and Chernykh had claimed before. Despite winning the first set, she fell by a score of 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Abdurakhimova followed with a 6-2, 6-2 win to get the Owls on the board. In the third position, Khon couldn’t close out a victory after winning the first set. She fell 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.
In the fourth position, Karina managed a 6-3, 6-1 win that gave Temple life before Nussaume lost 2-6, 6-0, 6-3 to seal the victory for Delaware. Bedon picked up a futile point with a win in the sixth position, 6-3, 6-0.
When Temple took on La Salle on St. Patrick’s Day, the team played a completely different game.
The Owls rolled in doubles by not allowing the Explorers to win a single game. The combinations of Abdurakhimova and Khon, Karina and Stuckey-Willis, and Bedon and freshman Cecilia Castelli each won their matches by a score of 6-0.
In singles, the Owls’ dominance continued. Stuckey-Willis won in the first position by a score of 6-0, 6-1. In the second position, Chernykh played in singles for the first time since Jan. 14 and won by a score of 6-3, 7-5. Finally, Karina won in the third position 6-1, 6-2 to seal the win.
Khon was victorious in the fourth position 6-1, 6-0. Bedon matched Khon’s easy victory with a 6-0, 6-1 win. Finally, Castelli finished the match in similar fashion with an easy 6-0, 6-1 in the sixth position.
Temple will travel south this weekend and take on Florida International University on Saturday before facing conference rival South Florida on Sunday. The Owls will play a rare outdoor match.
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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