The Virginia women’s tennis team didn’t just win on Saturday - they made a statement. In a dominant 4-0 sweep over No.
20 USC at the ITA Kickoff Weekend Championship, the No. 14 Cavaliers showed why they’re a team to watch this season.
The win, secured at the Boar’s Head Sports Club, punches their ticket to the ITA Indoor Team National Championship, set for February 6-10 in Illinois.
But this wasn’t just about advancing to the next round. Saturday’s victory also marked a milestone for Head Coach Sara O’Leary, who notched her 200th career win - a testament to the consistency and strength she’s built into this program.
Doubles Domination Sets the Tone
Virginia wasted no time grabbing control of the match, starting with a doubles performance that was as clinical as it was commanding. On the top court, the No. 9 duo of Melodie Collard and Vivian Yang took down USC’s sixth-ranked pair of Lily Fairclough and Daniela Borruel in convincing fashion, 6-1. Moments later, the No. 10-ranked team of Annabelle Xu and Martina Genis Salas mirrored that scoreline on court two, sealing the doubles point with another 6-1 win.
When your top two doubles teams are ranked in the top 10 nationally and playing like it, you’re going to win a lot of matches - and Virginia’s pairs looked locked in from the first serve.
Singles: Freshman Fire and Veteran Grit
The Cavaliers kept their foot on the gas in singles, starting with freshman Kaitlyn Rolls, who wasted no time making her mark. Rolls cruised to a 6-2, 6-0 win on court six, giving Virginia a 2-0 lead and showing poise well beyond her years.
Then came one of the tightest battles of the afternoon, and it belonged to No. 125 Isabelle Lacy on court four.
After edging out the first set 7-5, Lacy found herself in a second-set tiebreaker that had everything - including drama. With the breaker tied at 6-all, a rare combination of an ace and a point penalty secured the win for Lacy, pushing Virginia to the brink of victory.
That clinching moment came on the top court, where No. 30 Vivian Yang faced off against USC’s No. 12-ranked Emma Charney.
Yang took the first set 6-4, dropped the second 2-6, but dug deep in the third to close it out 6-3. It was a fitting cap to a match that saw Virginia’s top players rise to the moment.
What’s Next
With the win, Virginia improves to 5-1 and heads into next weekend with momentum - and confidence. They’ll hit the road for a tough Big Ten swing, facing Michigan in Ann Arbor on Friday and Ohio State in Columbus on Sunday.
But for now, the Cavaliers can celebrate a dominant performance, a milestone for their head coach, and a ticket to the ITA Indoor Nationals - all earned with grit, depth, and a whole lot of talent.
Final Score: Virginia 4, USC 0
Singles Results:
- #30 Vivian Yang (VA) def.
#12 Emma Charney (USC) - 6-4, 2-6, 6-3
2.
#20 Annabelle Xu (VA) vs. #16 Jana Hossam (USC) - 7-6 (9-7), 4-4, unfinished
- #52 Martina Genis Salas (VA) vs.
#95 Immi Haddad (USC) - 2-6, 6-4, 3-5, unfinished
4.
#125 Isabelle Lacy (VA) def. #62 Eugenia Menendez (USC) - 7-5, 7-6 (8-6)
- Melodie Collard (VA) vs.
#74 Krishna Mahendran (USC) - 6-3, 4-6, 3-2, unfinished
6.
Kaitlyn Rolls (VA) def. Lily Fairclough (USC) - 6-2, 6-0
Doubles Results:
- #9 Collard/Yang (VA) def.
#6 Fairclough/Borruel (USC) - 6-1
2.
#10 Xu/Genis Salas (VA) def. #51 Hossam/Mahendran (USC) - 6-1
- Navarro/Lacy (VA) vs.
Menendez/Charney (USC) - 3-5, unfinished
Virginia didn’t just win - they sent a message. And if this is the level they’re playing at in January, the rest of the season could get very interesting.