Linnikova Breaks Singles Record As No. 4 Nighthawks Overtake No. 22 Choctaws
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The No. 4 University of North Georgia (UNG) women's tennis team defeated No. 22 Mississippi College (MC) 4-1 in a neutral site match in Montgomery, Ala. Thursday afternoon.
The Nighthawks (15-6, 4-1 Peach Belt) secured their fourth consecutive season with 15 or more wins after the victory over the Choctaws (17-6, 6-2 Gulf South). The win also marked UNG's sixth over a ranked opponent this season and fourth such in the last four matches.
Senior Angelina Linnikova made history Thursday with her 18th singles win of the season. With an unblemished record of 18-0 this season, Linnikova secured the 56th singles win of her career. She now has the most career singles wins in UNG women's tennis history, surpassing the 55 wins of her former teammate Johann Lippert who suited up for the blue and white from 2020-24.
Linnikova, ranked as the No. 5 women's singles player in the country by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), has a staggering 56-6 record in singles play in three seasons with the Nighthawks. She is 40-4 in the last two seasons.
The Irkutsk, Russia native's perfect record makes her the only undefeated player in the top 10 of the ITA rankings this spring. She is now 23-2 since the fall portion of the season. Linnikova is also 8-0 against nationally ranked opponents in the spring after her 7-6 (7-2 tiebreaker), 6-1 dispatching of ITA No.16 Emma Roberts on Thursday.
Linnikova took part in another ranked victory prior to her singles win. In doubles, she paired up with senior Carolina Reis took down ITA women's doubles No. 24 Roberts and Jules De Mata. The 6-2 victory marked Reis and Linnikova's third over a ranked opponent this season. The UNG duo is currently ranked as the No. 16 women's doubles pairing in the nation by ITA.
Their victory Thursday helped the Nighthawks secure the win in doubles and take a 1-0 lead into singles play.
UNG senior Ashley Moinard collected her 11th singles win of the year by virtue of a 6-3, 6-3 victory over De Mata in the #2 singles match.
Freshman Vasilissa Kupriyanova's 6-2, 6-3 win over No. 42 Ricio Martinez marked the first victory over a ranked opponent for the freshman. Kupriyanova is now 9-7 in singles matches this year.
The Nighthawks have one final match to close out the regular season. They will take on Georgia Southwestern on Saturday, April 19 at 1 p.m. from the UNG Tennis Complex at Yahoola Creek.
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