BLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech showed immense determination on Friday, as the Hokies defeated No. 67 Syracuse, 4-3, to start their ACC season strong. Elizabet Danailova clinched the match in dramatic fashion, coming back from a 2-5 hole in the third set to win the contest.
After dropping the doubles point and a couple singles matches, Virginia Tech found itself trailing 3-1 after Katie Andreini's 6-3, 6-4 win on Court 6.
The Hokies continued to battle, however, with Dariya Radulova showing some strength of her own on Court 3. She trailed 2-5 in the first set, before stringing together an impressive comeback to win in a tiebreak. In the second set, Radulova laid down the hammer and locked up a 7-6, 6-2 victory.
Erika Cheng had a tight contest on Court 5 that went back and forth for two sets. In both sets, Cheng came out on top, leading to a 7-5, 7-5 win. Her result set up the last match, Danailova on Court 2, to be the decider between Syracuse and Virginia Tech.
Danailova dominated her first set, 6-2, but her opponent from Syracuse fought back in the second set, 7-5. The Orange's Miyuka Kimoto came out the gate strong and quickly took a 5-2 lead in the third set, only needing one more game to win. Danailova then pieced together five straight games, including three breaks, to claim a 7-5 win and give Tech its first ACC win of the season.
The Hokies will try to double their ACC tally on Sunday at noon against Boston College at the Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center.Gallery: (2-25-2022) WTEN: Syracuse Match
