COLLEGE PARK, MD – On March 9, 2025, the University of Maryland women’s tennis team achieved a significant victory over the Oregon Ducks, winning 4-1 at the Junior Tennis Champions Center. This match marked Maryland’s first conference win of the 2025 season, as they successfully showcased their skills against the Ducks.
Maryland started the day strong by clinching the doubles point. The team of Oliwia Orlinska and Tamari Gagoshidze quickly asserted themselves on court three, jumping out to a commanding 3-0 lead before securing the match with a score of 6-1. Meanwhile, Danielle Hack and Diya Challa solidified their performance on court two, overcoming the Ducks to win 6-3. With these two victories, Maryland established themselves early as formidable opponents.
The Ducks found themselves down 1-0 after the doubles matches, but the singles matches promised to deliver intense competition. Key players for Oregon included Karin Young and Marjorie Souza, who were eager to turn the match around. Young, having already secured her position on court two, managed to battle back from losing the first set to Ema Kovacevic (4-6). She then found her rhythm, winning the next two sets decisively at 6-1 and 6-0, marking her fourth consecutive singles victory and improving her dual record to 7-3.
Despite Young's triumph, Maryland’s Kallista Liu maintained momentum for her team. After falling behind early, Liu turned the match around spectacularly, winning six straight games to take the first set against Souza with a score of 6-3, and then clinching the match with another win at 6-4, pushing the Terrapins’ lead to 2-0.
Maryland’s confidence continued to grow as Diya Challa, playing on court six, captured her match against Juliet Santitto. Challa initially cruised to victory with 6-2, lost the second set but bounced back to seal the match with another victory at 6-0, putting Maryland up 3-1.
The match finally concluded with Tamari Gagoshidze winning against Bridget Mihulka after a tough first set, which Gagoshidze lost during a thrilling tiebreaker at 7-9. She surged back to dominate the second and third sets 6-1 each, giving Maryland the clinching victory of 4-1. Throughout the singles contests, Oregon’s Tilde Jagare and Patsy Daughters were still competing hard on their respective courts; Jagare was tied before the match ended, and Daughters showcased her resilience by winning the second set after losing the first.
This defeat marked another tough outing for the Ducks, who now hold a record of 7-4 overall and 0-2 within the conference. Conversely, the Terrapins began their conference season on the right note, improving their standings to 8-6 and 1-1. The Ducks struggled during the doubles portion, marking the fourth time they failed to secure the doubles point out of eleven matches played this spring.
The conclusion of this match serves as both a lesson and motivation for the Ducks, who are gearing up for their upcoming home matches against UCLA and USC next weekend at the Student Tennis Center. If they hope to rebound from this setback, focusing on doubles strategies and consistent singles performances will be key.
Maryland's decisive win showcases their potential moving forward as they look to build momentum through the season. With confidence from this victory, the Terrapins will aim to leverage this success to overcome future competitors and secure more wins.