Score: VCU 5, Howard 2
Location: Richmond, Va. (Thalhimer Tennis Center)
Records: VCU 4-4 (0-0 Atlantic 10), Howard 0-5
 
The Short Story: The Rams delivered a strong, well-rounded performance as they secured a 5-2 victory against Howard on Saturday afternoon.
 
Opening Serve

• The match opened with VCU entering at 3-4 on the season, highlighted by notable wins over Temple, Longwood, and Morgan State. Howard came into the contest on a four-match losing streak, and the afternoon reflected those trends, with the Rams controlling the pace on nearly every court throughout the match.

Doubles

• Doubles action began on court three, where the in-form pair of Sara Alba and Viktoria Lackova took an early lead and maintained control throughout the match to secure a 6-1 victory to give VCU the advantage in doubles play
• On court one, Andrea Magallanes and Sofia Jane Thorne were locked in a tight contest early, trading points with Howard's Camille Hall and Imani Jean. But after the score was tied at 2-2, Thorne and Magallanes pulled away, winning the next four games to secure a 6-2 victory and clinch the doubles point for VCU.
• On Court 2, Mariam Ibrahim and Tania Isabel Andrade Sabando held a 5-2 lead when the match was halted once the doubles point had been secured

Singles

• Sofia Jane Thorne was the first to finish on Court 1. After conceding the opening two games to Imani Jean, Thorne responded to level the set at 3-3 before powering through to a 6-3 first-set victory. The second set followed a familiar script - Thorne elevated her level once again, competing at a standard many of her opponents simply haven't been able to match this season. From the moment she trailed 0-2, Thorne won 12 of the next 13 games to give VCU a 2-0 lead in the match.
• On Court 4, Mariam Ibrahim jumped out to a 3-0 lead before dropping the next two games, as momentum briefly looked to fade. From that point, she responded by winning four straight games to take the opening set, 6-2. The second set followed a similar script, with the score tight early before Ibrahim shifted into another gear to seal the match, 6-2.
• In contrast to the opening two singles matches, Viktoria Lackova found herself in a competitive duel on Court 3. She fell in the first set, 6-4, to Howard's Camille Hall, with the score tied at 3-3 before Hall pulled away. The second set followed a similar pattern, as the two were again even at 3-3 before Lackova took control to claim it, 6-3, forcing a deciding third set. In the final frame, the two-time A-10 Rookie of the Week showed her class, powering to a 6-1 win to clinch the match for the Rams.
• Meanwhile on Court 2, Tania Isabel Andrade Sabando found herself in a back-and-forth battle that stretched over two and a half hours. Andrade claimed the opening set, 7-5, but the second went to Howard, 6-4. In the deciding third set, she fell 7-5, giving Howard its first point of the match
• On Court 6, Sara Alba dropped the opening set, 6-4. In the second set, she battled back from a 1-3 deficit to even the score at 5-5 and 6-6 before ultimately falling 7-5 in the tiebreak
• Finally, on Court 5, Andrea Magallanes got off to a slow start as Howard's Lauren Oliver led 3-0 early. Magallanes battled back to level the set at 3-3 and closed strong to claim it, 6-4. The second set mirrored the first, with Magallanes taking an early 3-0 advantage, while Oliver responded to tie it at 3-3. The two remained even at 4-4, 5-5, and 6-6, where Magallanes ultimately prevailed in the tiebreak, 7-2, to seal the match

 
Singles results
1. Sofia Jane Thorne (VCU) def. Imani Jean (HU) 6-3, 6-0
2. Franchesca Brown (HU) def. Tania Isabel Andrade Sabando (VCU) 5-7, 6-4, 7-5
3. Viktoria Lackova (VCU) def. Camille Hall (HU) 4-6, 6-3, 6-1
4. Mariam Ibrahim (VCU) def. Dana Hall (HU) 6-2, 6-2
5. Andrea Magallanes (VCU) def. Selah Stibbins (HU) 6-4, 7-6(2)
6. Lauren Oliver (HU) def. Sara Alba (VCU) 6-4, 7-6(5)
 
 Doubles results
1. Andrea Magallanes / Sofia Jane Thorne (VCU) def. Camille Hall / Imani Jean (HU) 6-2
2. Mariam Ibrahim / Tania Isabel Andrade Sabando (VCU) vs. Franchesca Brown / Dana Hall (HU) 5-2 (Unfinished)
3. Sara Alba / Viktoria Lackova (VCU) def. Lauren Oliver / Selah Stibbins (HU) 6-1
 
Order of Finish: Doubles: 3, 1   Singles: 1, 4, 3, 2, 6, 5
 
Up Next: VCU will be back in action tomorrow at 2 p.m. as they host George Mason in their first A-10 bout of the season.