Spiders Secure First Program Victory over No. 1 VCU in Atlantic 10 Championship Quarterfinals

The University of Richmond women’s tennis team made history on Thursday afternoon with a stunning upset over No. 1 seed VCU in the A-10 Championship quarterfinals. The No. 8-seeded Spiders secured a thrilling 4-3 victory, marking their first-ever win over the Rams.

The match started off in VCU’s favor, with the Rams taking a 1-0 lead after securing quick doubles wins on courts two and three. VCU extended their lead to 2-0 as Leonor Oliveira fell on court three and Carly Cohen lost on court two. However, the Spiders mounted a comeback with Lara Bakhaya’s 6-0, 6-4 win on court four, followed by Andrea Campodonico’s hard-fought 7-5, 7-5 victory on court one.

Elizabeth Novak then delivered a clutch performance on court five, winning a three-set battle to tie the overall score at 3-3. The match came down to Polina Shitikova on court six, who sealed the historic win for Richmond with a 2-6, 7-6 (2), 6-3 triumph over her VCU opponent.

The victory propels the Spiders into the A-10 Championship semifinals, where they will face No. 4 Fordham on Friday at 4:30 p.m. at the USTA National Campus in Orlando. This win not only showcases the talent and determination of the Richmond women’s tennis team but also cements their place in program history with a memorable upset over the tournament’s No. 1 seed.