Box Score NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State women's tennis team fought hard against a strong opponent on Friday but couldn't muster enough to come away with a victory, falling 5-2 at NSU Tennis Complex.
 
ECU won the opening doubles point by securing wins in two of the three matches. Yuliya Yurkova and Caroline Nicholls produced a 6-1 victory on Court 2, but the Pirates won at the No. 1 and No. 3 positions to take an early 1-0 lead.
 
Isabella Rivera Ortiz bested Nicholls 6-4, 6-4 on Court 3 to get ECU going in singles play, before Anne Lou Champion took down Angelina Maniawska 6-4, 6-4 at the No. 4 position.  
 
Xenia Jeromin clinched the dual match for ECU with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Sabina Iurea at position four. Joan Madi beat Irina Iurea 7-5, 6-3 at the No. 5 slot shortly after.
 
Norfolk State ended the match on a high note, though, tallying victories at the top spots in the lineup. Freshman Sofiya Tsitavets took down Pirates senior Ines Bachir 6-3, 6-7 (2), 1-0 (10-7) at the No. 1 position, before first-year teammate Yuliya Yurkova beat Martina Muzzolon 6-3, 2-6, 1-0 (10-7) in the No. 2 slot.
 
Norfolk State returns to action on Saturday at Virginia State.
 
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