Virginia Tech Bests Clemson Saturday in Nashville

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Tigers’ two freshmen, Constanza Gorches and Sydney Riley, picked up singles wins, but the Clemson women’s tennis team dropped its second-straight match to Virginia Tech, 4-2 on Saturday in Nashville, Tenn. The Tigers fall to 2-2 with the loss, while the Hokies improve to 3-1.

In doubles play, sophomores Ayan Broomfield and Marie-Alexandre Leduc, ranked 44th nationally, downed 59th-ranked Elena Cerezo-Codina and Caroline Daxhelet, 6-3 at No. 1. The Hokies won at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles to take a 1-0 lead to open the match.

After Virginia Tech won at No. 3 singles, Gorches cut the lead to 2-1 with a 6-1, 6-3 victory at No. 5 to improve to 2-0 on the season in dual singles matches. The Hokies then picked up another win at No. 2 to take a 3-1 lead. Riley, facing 47th-ranked Daxhelet at No. 4, battled for a three-set upset, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(2). The win was the first of the season over a ranked opponent for Riley, who is now 3-1 in dual singles play. At the top singles spot, Ayan Broomfield dropped a close decision (5-7, 6-4, 5-7) to provide the final score of 4-2 for Virginia Tech.

The Tigers have two matches against top-20 opponents at home next week, as they host No. 16 South Carolina on Friday, Feb. 3 and No. 6 Georgia on Saturday, Feb. 4. Both matches start at 2:30 p.m. and will be played in the Clemson Indoor Tennis Center.