Cardinals Win 4-3 On Senior Day Over No. 36 Syracuse

Sunday, April 16

LOUISVILLE, KY

11:30 a.m.

University of Louisville

Syracuse

Rhea Verma and Andrea Di Palma embrace after their final match as seniors

April 16, 2023 | Women's Tennis

Box Score Photo Gallery

Verma clinches match at No. 2

By: Nancy Worley

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The match came down to Rhea Verma at court two and the senior delivered as the University of Louisville women's tennis team upset No. 36-ranked Syracuse 4-3 on Senior Day.

"It feels good to get a win," said head coach Mark Beckham. "This conference is so brutal. To beat a nationally-ranked team on Senior Day, especially a team that's probably going to be in the NCAA tournament. It felt like the best ending to it. I'm happy for the team. I'm really happy for Andrea, being her last match here and being a part of making sure we won the match. With Rhea, she's been through adversity here as well. Her Senior Day, for her to be the one to actually clinch the match and win for us is a story book ending. I'm happy for them and for them to have a win like that and to appreciate everything they have done."

The Cardinals took the doubles point to start the match. The Orange were short-handed and had to give the Cards a forfeit win. Then Verma, who paired with Andrea DiPalma helped clinch the doubles point with a 7-5 win over Viktoriya Kanapatskaya and Shiori Ito.

Syracuse had to forfeit at No. 6 singles as well to give the Cards a 2-0 lead. The Orange pushed back with wins on the No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5 courts to take a 3-2 lead. Andrea DiPalma won at No. 1 with a score of 6-3, 6-4 to tie at three and leave the match in the hands of Verma.

Verma dropped the first set 6-4 before scrambling back in the second set with a 6-3 before gaining momentum and rolling 6-1.

The Cardinals head to the ACC Championship next week where they will face Boston College at 12:30 on Wednesday, April 19 at the Cary Tennis Center in Cary, N.C.

Fans can follow the ACC Championship here: https://theacc.com/sports/2018/4/6/2018-womens-tennis-championship.aspx

March 5, 2021

Tennis Match Results
Syracuse vs Louisville Women's Tennis
4/16/2023 at Louisville, Ky
(Bass-Rudd Tennis Center)

Louisville Women's Tennis 4, #36 Syracuse 3

Singles competition
1. Andrea DiPalma (LOU) def. Kanapatskaya,Viktoriya (SYR) 6-3, 6-4
2. Rhea Verma (LOU) def. Kimoto,Miyuka (SYR) 4-6, 6-3, 6-1
3. Kozyreva,Polina (SYR) def. Tyra Richardson (LOU) 6-0, 6-2
4. Fonte,Ines (SYR) def. Cici Xin (LOU) 6-0, 6-3
5. Ito,Shiori (SYR) def. Sasha Gorchanyuk (LOU) 6-3, 6-2
6. Arielle Nealy (LOU) def. No player (SYR), by forfeit

Doubles competition
1. Andrea DiPalma/Rhea Verma (LOU) def. Kanapatskaya,Viktoriya/Ito,Shiori (SYR) 7-5
2. Kozyreva,Polina/Kimoto,Miyuka (SYR) def. Jamilah Snells/Cici Xin (LOU) 7-5
3. Sasha Gorchanyuk/Tyra Richardson (LOU) def. Fonte,Ines/No player (SYR), by forfeit

Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (6,4,3,5,1,2)