BALTIMORE, Md. – With only four players available on Sunday afternoon, Norfolk State nearly pulled off a shorthanded victory against Loyola University of Maryland at the McClure Tennis Center. The Greyhounds won 4-3, as the Spartans nabbed three singles victories.
 
The doubles point wound up making the difference on Sunday. Loyola took Court 3 by default, and clinched the point with a 6-0 win on Court 2. At the No. 1 position, Aleksandra Evdokimova and Laura Ruiz battled to a 7-5 victory over Olivia Tracey and Jessica Bodowes.
 
Loyola won the No. 5 and No. 6 singles positions by default, before Christina Richiez defeated Zada McMorris 6-1, 6-0 at the fourth slot. Laura Ruiz earned a straight-sets victory over Bodewes at No. 3 by a score of 6-3, 7-6, winning the second-set tiebreak 7-4 to close out an undefeated afternoon for her.
 
Evdokimova dominated early on at the top position, refusing to drop a single game in the first set against Tracey. The Greyhound junior came back to force a third set, but Evdokimova dominated the 10-point tiebreaker, coming away with a 6-0, 5-7, 1-0 (10-3) victory.
 
After dropping the first set against Lauren Manwiller, Amal Gati surged back to pull off a thrilling 3-6, 6-4 1-0 (12-10) triumph.
 
Norfolk State (1-7) has plenty of time to regroup after playing three matches in three days, returning to the court on Mar. 7 at Longwood.