Rutgers Women’s Tennis Edges Fordham in Gritty 4-3 Win, Moves to 4-1 on the Season
EAST BRUNSWICK, N.J. - In a match that came down to the wire, Rutgers women’s tennis showed poise and depth, grinding out a 4-3 victory over Fordham on Saturday afternoon at the East Brunswick Racquet Club. The Scarlet Knights leaned on a strong singles performance to overcome an early doubles deficit, improving to 4-1 on the season.
Let’s break down how this one unfolded.
Doubles: Rutgers Drops the Point, But Not Without a Fight
The doubles portion of the match started with Rutgers looking to set the tone early, and Naomi Karki and Karina Jumazhanova did just that. The pair delivered a clutch 7-5 win over Fordham’s Valeria Kargina and Lily Chitambar, showcasing solid chemistry and timely shot-making.
But Fordham answered back. Nevena Kolarevic and Paola Dalmonico led the charge for the Rams, helping Fordham take the other two doubles matches and ultimately clinch the point. It was a tough blow for Rutgers, but the Scarlet Knights didn’t let it rattle them heading into singles play.
Singles: Rutgers Rallies Behind Depth and Determination
Rutgers wasted no time flipping the script once singles got underway.
Karina Jumazhanova, fresh off her doubles win, came out firing on court five. She dominated from start to finish, cruising to a 6-2, 6-2 straight-sets win and putting Rutgers on the board.
Freshman Stella Schmitz kept that momentum rolling with a composed 6-3, 6-3 win on court six. Not to be outdone, fellow freshman Savannah Cohen delivered a statement victory of her own on the top court, taking down Catalina Padilla 7-5, 6-3. That trio of wins gave Rutgers a 3-1 lead and put Fordham on the ropes.
Still, the Rams weren't done. They clawed back with wins on courts two and four, knotting the match at 3-3 and setting the stage for a decisive battle on court three.
Enter Zuzanna Frankowska.
The junior came out blazing, blanking her opponent 6-0 in the opening set. After dropping the second 4-6, she regrouped and powered through the final set 6-2 to seal the match for Rutgers. It was a gritty, three-set effort that showcased her resilience and closed out a hard-earned team victory.
Match Results Recap
Doubles
- Kolarevic (Fordham) def.
Nguyen/Frankowska (Rutgers) 7-6 (7-3)
- Karki/Jumazhanova (Rutgers) def.
Kargina/Chitambar (Fordham) 7-5
- Dalmonico/Padilla (Fordham) def.
Schmitz/Ilker (Rutgers) 7-5
Singles
- Kolarevic (Fordham) def.
Mai Nguyen (Rutgers) 5-7, 6-3, 6-3
- Frankowska (Rutgers) def.
Aya Matsunaga (Fordham) 6-0, 4-6, 6-2
- Jumazhanova (Rutgers) def.
Kargina (Fordham) 6-2, 6-2
- Dalmonico (Fordham) def.
Zeynep Ilker (Rutgers) 2-6, 6-2, 6-4
- Schmitz (Rutgers) def.
Julianne Nguyen (Fordham) 6-3, 6-3
- Cohen (Rutgers) def.
Padilla (Fordham) 7-5, 6-3
What’s Next
Rutgers now turns its attention to a road test against Georgia Tech on Saturday, February 14. It’s another opportunity for this young, hungry squad to prove itself as it continues to build momentum early in the season.
For now, though, the Scarlet Knights can enjoy this one-a gutsy, come-from-behind win that showed exactly what this team is made of.