Orlando, Fla. – Prior to today, the Fordham women's tennis squad had faced off with VCU six times with the Rams from Richmond winning all six matches. But that all changed today in a big way as the Bronx Rams came out with a purpose, defeating VCU, 4-1, to win their first ever Atlantic 10 title at the USTA National Campus.
 
The championship is the first for Fordham women's tennis since the Rams won the 1990 Patriot League title and break a streak of four straight A-10 championship for VCU.
 
Fordham, the two seed, entered the match against top-seeded VCU on a six-match winning streak and used that momentum to jump out to a 1-0 lead by taking the doubles point. After Fordham dropped second doubles, Valeriya Deminova and Avery Aude won at first doubles, 6-4. The point came down to third doubles where Carlota Casasampere Escoda and Rachelle Yang worked overtime for a 7-6(3) win.
 
Casasampere Escoda put Fordham up 2-0 with a 6-0, 6-0 win at fifth singles before VCU cut the lead in half with a win at the sixth position. But Avery Aude put Fordham within one point of winning with a 6-2, 6-4, victory at fourth singles and when Eleni Fasoula capped her 6-3, 6-3 win at the third spot her teammates rushed the court to celebrate their first Atlantic 10 title.
 
The Rams will find out their NCAA fate during the NCAA Tournament selection show, which will take place Monday, May 1 at 6 p.m., live on NCAA.com.  
 
SINGLES
1. Valeriya Deminova (FOR) vs. Victoria Smirnova (VCU) 6-3, 2-6, 1-0, DNF
2. Yelizaveta Karlova (VCU) vs. Lindsay Hung (FOR) 7-6(3), 1-2, DNF
3. Eleni Fasoula (FOR) def. Victoria Matasova (VCU) 6-3, 6-3
4. Avery Aude (FOR) def. Gabriela Davidescu (VCU) 6-2, 6-4
5. Carlota Casasampere Escoda (FOR) def. Anja Drasovic (VCU) 6-0, 6-0
6. Emma Valletta (VCU) def. Lorraine Bergmann (FOR) 6-2, 6-4
Order of Finish: 5, 6, 4, 3
 
DOUBLES
1. Valeriya Deminova/Avery Aude (FOR) def. Victoria Smirnova/Victoria Matasova (VCU) 6-4
2. Yelizaveta Karlova/Emma Valletta (VCU) def. Lindsay Hung/Eleni Fasoula (FOR) 6-3
3. Carlota Casasampere Escoda/Rachelle Yang (FOR) def. Anja Draskovic/Gabriela Davidescu (VCU) 7-6(3)
Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3