WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- With the final two matches of the night moving into third sets, Youngstown State persevered to repeat as Horizon League women's tennis champion, rallying past Detroit, 4-2, at the Schwartz Tennis Center.
After dropping the doubles point, the top-seeded Penguins won four of five completed singles matches to earn its second Horizon League title in the last three years.
After playing until 1:38 am ET to reach to finals, Detroit showed no signs of weariness early in the match, taking the doubles point with wins at Nos. 1 and 2. Viktoria Laskutova and Nino Sujashvili clinched the point with a 6-3 victory, but it was pyrrhic in nature, as Sujashvili was injured during the competition and was subbed out for singles, with Laskutova moving to her spot at No. 5 and Nynke Van Der Goot sliding into No. 6.
In singles, Youngstown State quickly asserted itself as Marta Burak capped a dominating four-year stretch of Horizon League play with a 6-1, 6-0 win at No. 1 to even the match at 1-1.
Before the No. 4 singles match had concluded a set, YSU had a 2-1 lead courtesy of Sofia Macias' 6-2, 6-2 straight-set victory at No. 6.
Dominika Lackova put the Penguins in position for the championship at No. 2, winning 7-5, 6-3.
However, Detroit countered with Irinia Slizoskaya's 7-6(5), 6-3 win at No. 4, pulling the Titans within a point.
As the final two matches moved to the third set, the championship was still in doubt as both the Nos. 3 and 5 matches were still on the court.
However, freshman Juliana Heino came through for the Penguins. Down late in the third, Heino won the final three games to clinch the set, match and championship, 5-7, 6-2, 7-5, sending YSU celebrating in the corner of the far court.
Youngstown State will learn its NCAA Tournament desitination at 5 pm ET on Tuesday, April 28, during the NCAA selection show that will air on NCAA.com.
No. 1 Youngstown State vs. No. 2 Detroit
Doubles:
1. Marta Burak/Julianna Heino (Youngstown State) vs. Irina Slizoskaya/Anna Davydova (Detroit) – DET, 6-3
2. Annina Brendel/Nehel Sahni (Youngstown State) vs. Viktoria Laskutova/Nino Sujashvili (Detroit) – DET, 6-3
3. Dominika Lackova/Sofia Macias (Youngstown State) vs. Valeryia Kulikovskaya/Sasha Nionova (Detroit) – YSU, 6-3
Order of finish: 3-1-2
Singles:
1. Marta Burak (Youngstown State) vs. Sasha Nionova (Detroit) – YSU, 6-1, 6-0
2. Dominika Lackova (YSU) vs. Valeryia Kulikovskaya (Detroit) – YSU, 7-5, 6-3
3. Annina Brendel (Youngstown State) vs. Anna Davydova (Detroit) – ties 6-2, 2-6, 3-3 unfinished
4. Nehel Sahni (Youngstown State) vs. Irina Slizoskaya (Detroit) – DET, 7-6(5), 6-3
5. Julianna Heino (Youngstown State) vs. Viktoria Laskutova (Detroit) – YSU, 5-7, 6-2, 7-5
6. Sofia Macias (Youngstown State) vs. Nynke Van Der Goot (Detroit) – YSU, 6-2, 6-2
Order of finish: 1-6-2-4-5
