Marshall Women’s Tennis saw its postseason run come to an end Sunday, April 26, with a 4-0 loss to the Old Dominion Monarchs in the Sun Belt Conference Championship match.
Marshall, seeded tenth, entered the title match on a hot streak after pulling off three straight upset wins in the second round, quarterfinals and semifinals. When it came time to go up against top-seeded Old Dominion that has made a habit of winning the event for the past four years, the momentum did not carry over.
“Got to give credit to ODU. They were just better today, but I’m proud of the run the team made. The future is bright,” Marshall head coach John Mercer said after the match.
Old Dominion set the tone early by taking control in doubles play. The Monarchs picked up wins on courts two and three to secure the first point of the match while the top doubles match went unfinished.
From there, Old Dominion kept things moving in singles. The Monarchs quickly built on to its lead with straight-set wins on the lower courts. Marina Markina got things going with a decisive win at No. 6 followed by Lidiia Rasskouskaia at No. 5 to make it 3-0.
The win came from the first court, where Kira Matushkina defeated Marshall’s Johanna Strom in straight sets to seal the championship.
Several matches for Marshall were left unfinished once the team result was decided. Polina Gumeniuk was in the middle of a tight battle at No. 2 singles after taking her first set in a tiebreak, and Alina Mokrynska was leading in her second set at No. 3.
Despite the loss, the championship appearance capped a strong late push for Marshall, which exceeded expectations as a lower seed in the bracket.
For Old Dominion, the win continues a dominant stretch. The Monarchs have now won four straight Sun Belt Conference titles and secured an automatic spot in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, marking its seventh consecutive appearance.
Marshall finished its season at 15-11, with a tournament run that showed the team’s potential heading into next year.
Ella Hatfield can be contacted at [email protected].
