Longwood University Athletics

FARMVILLE, Va. – Nobody could stop Longwood junior Yulia Almiron Saturday. Not even her own doubles partner.
 
After a two-win day at the Dr. Robert Walter Johnson Memorial Invitational Saturday that included a semifinal victory over Lancer teammate Emma Nurgazieva, Longwood's junior ace will play for the tournament's singles title Sunday at the VSU Tennis Complex.
 
Almiron forged her path to Sunday's title showdown with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Norfolk State's Zoe Fraser in the quarterfinals and a 6-4, 6-1 victory over sophomore teammate and doubles partner Nurgazieva in the semis. Those victories vaulted her into Sunday's championship showdown, giving Longwood representation in both women's and men's singles finals at the three-day event alongside men's senior Amadeo Blasco.
 
"Having two players in the finals is pretty exciting," said Longwood director of tennis Jhonnatan Medina Alvarez. "Last year we won doubles in both tournaments, so having more players reach the semifinals in singles and doubles is exactly what we talked about yesterday.
 
"I think over these past two days, they have understood what it means to be coachable. They've had a lot of good energy, and they were able to do the things I asked. We came out with a sort of syllabus with a set of goals we want to achieve on a daily basis. Every match we have a checklist of what everybody is required to do in every match. They've taken to that, and today was positive in regards to it. I'm excited about their response today, and we're all looking forward to tomorrow."
 
Almiron will also compete alongside Nurgazieva in Sunday's doubles semifinals, as will the Longwood duo of senior Marija Venta and junior Crystal Nzewi. Those two Lancer duos won their quarterfinal bouts and lost just one set combined.
 
Almiron's two wins bump her performance to 3-0 at the Johnson Memorial and to 5-1 for the fall overall. She contributed to Longwood's combined 5-3 singles performance on Saturday, which also included singles wins from Nurgazieva, Jamie Breunig and Venta. Of Longwood's three singles losses, two came in Lancer-versus-Lancer showdowns.
 
Sunday's action at the Johnson Memorial will begin at 9 a.m.
 
Dr. Robert Walter Johnson Memorial Invitational
September 21, 2019 (Day Two)
Ettrick, Va. (VSU Tennis Complex, Virginia State University)
 
Longwood Doubles
Marija Venta/Crystal Nzewi (LWU) def. Tucker/Smith (VSU) 6-1
________ (HAM) def. Jamie Breunig/Maria Saez (LWU) 4-6*
Yulia Almiron/Emma Nurgazieva (LWU) def. /Hamilton (NCAT) 6-0
 
Longwood Singles
Yulia Almiron (LWU) def. Zoe Fraser (NSU) 6-2, 6-4
Emma Nurgazieva (LWU) def. Maria Saez (LWU) 6-3, 6-4
Yulia Almiron (LWU) def. Emma Nurgazieva (LWU) 6-4, 6-1
Peralta (HAM) def. Crystal Nzewi (LWU) 2-6, 6-3, 10-5
Jamie Breunig (LWU) def. Mikayla Hamilton (NCAT) 8-5
Marija Venta (LWU) def. Mikayla Hamilton (NCAT) 6-1, 6-1
*Full results from Virginia State not yet available
 
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