TROY, Ala. (February 1, 2025) – The University of North Alabama women's tennis team won its first dual of the 2025 campaign on Saturday, taking a 5-2 victory on the road against the Troy Trojans.
The Lions earned the win with solid all-around play across both singles and doubles flights. UNA overcame a slow start in doubles, dropping the first match from the top flight before rebounding with two-straight victories from flights two and three. Court three proved to be a competitive bout, playing to a tiebreaker before securing the final doubles win.
Singles proved to be more comfortable for the Lions, who went on to win the first four matches in straight sets. Troy would finish out with two singles wins prior to the dual being decided but not before the Lions left Troy with their first season win.
With the win, North Alabama earned its third overall win over the Trojans, moving the all-time record to 4-3 in favor of Troy. UNA also recorded a second-straight win over the Trojans, with the Lions also beating Troy, 5-2, during the 2024 season.
The Trojans opened the dual with a 6-2 doubles win, with Valeriia Avdeeva and Maria Guirguis defeating the Lions' Anoek Pruijmboom and Stanislava Bobrovnikova. UNA's Eeva Ristola and Ada Karabacak answered back with a 6-2 win from court, and the final doubles win came in a 7-5 victory by North Alabama's Emma Ansorge and Mathilde Delaney over Troy's Hagar Amin and Leena Metwally. Ansorge and Delaney entered the tiebreaking set even at 5-5, but the two held strong to clinch the opening point for the Lions.
North Alabama used the momentum from the doubles' victory, securing the dual with four consecutive singles wins.
Bobrovnikova won comfortably from the top flight, earning a 6-2, 6-3 victory over the Trojans' Gabrielle Leslie. Karabacak added a second solo win for the Lions, securing a 6-4, 6-0 triumph over Veena Nazar from flight three. The wins marked both players first singles win of the season.
Ristola added a second win to her daily tally, defeating Metwally of Troy, 6-1, 6-4, from the fourth flight. The junior clinched the dual with her victory, also registering her third overall win of the year. Junior Senem Ocal added an extra point to UNA's total score, securing a 6-2, 6-4 triumph over Troy's Amin from court six.
The final two matches went into three-set battles, but the Trojans were able to salvage their outing with wins.
Sophomore Emma Ansorge played two tiebreaking sets in the first and third set, but Troy's Guirguis held on to take a 6-7, 6-0, 7-6 win. UNA's Delaney went into a super tiebreak third set with the Trojans' Avdeeva, with Avdeeva also claiming a Troy win with a 5-7, 6-3, 10-7 result.
North Alabama 5, Troy 2
Doubles
1. Valeriia Avdeeva/Maria Guirguis (TROY) def. Anoek Pruijmboom/Stanislava Bobrovnikova (UNA), 6-2
2. Eeva Ristola/Ada Karabacak (UNA) def. Veena Nazar/Emilia Namysla (TROY), 6-2
3. Emma Ansorge/Mathilde Delaney (UNA) def. Hagar Amin/Leena Metwally (TROY), 7-5
Singles
1. Stanislava Bobrovnikova (UNA) def. Gabrielle Leslie (TROY), 6-2, 6-3
2. Maria Guirguis (TROY) def. Emma Ansorge (UNA), 6-7, 6-0, 7-6
3. Ada Karabacak (UNA) def. Leena Metwally (TROY), 6-4, 6-0
4. Eeva Ristola (UNA) def. Leena Metwally (TROY), 6-1, 6-4
5. Valeriia Avdeeva (TROY) def. Mathilde Delaney (UNA), 5-7, 6-3, 10-7
6. Senem Ocal (UNA) def. Hagar Amin (TROY), 6-2, 6-4
Match Notes
North Alabama: 1-1
Troy: 1-2
Order of Finish – Doubles: (1,2,3) Singles (1,2,4,3,6,5)
COMING UP NEXT
The Lions have a quick turnaround with UNA traveling to Montgomery, Ala. to face Alabama State on Sunday. First serve against the Hornets is set for 1 p.m.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
