Maryland Women’s Tennis Goes Undefeated in Doubles on Day Two of ITA Atlantic Regionals
By Brian Hradsky
LYNCHBURG, Va. — The University of Maryland women’s tennis team delivered an impressive performance Friday, October 16, winning all four doubles matches during the second day of the ITA Atlantic Regional Championships at Liberty University. The Terrapins also collected four singles victories, advancing multiple players into the next round of the prestigious regional tournament. Maryland finished the day with an 8-4 combined record across singles and doubles competition, demonstrating the program’s depth against opponents from throughout the Atlantic region. The strong showing kept all four Maryland doubles pairings alive in the championship draw.
The tournament represents an important opportunity for Maryland to build upon its successful fall campaign under head coach Katie Dougherty. The Terrapins entered the competition following several encouraging performances, including an 18-6 singles record at the 49er Invitational earlier in October. Maryland also enjoyed success at the ITA All-American Championships, where junior Oliwia Orlinska advanced through singles qualifying and reached the doubles main draw alongside Ema Kovacevic. Those results helped establish momentum heading into one of the most significant tournaments on Maryland’s fall schedule.
Maryland Dominates Doubles Competition
Maryland’s doubles teams provided the biggest highlights Friday, combining for four victories without suffering a defeat. The third-seeded pairing of Emma Ghirardato and Diya Challa delivered the most dominant performance, shutting out Hampton’s Toffee Ghorab and Tanyaradzwa Midzi by an 8-0 score. Ghirardato and Challa controlled the match from beginning to end, preventing their opponents from winning a single game. Their commanding victory secured a place in the round of 32 and reinforced their status as one of Maryland’s leading doubles combinations.
Mila Mulready and Anastasiia Sorska also advanced after defeating Liberty’s Anika Lemus and Celina Joseph, 8-5. The ninth-seeded Maryland duo faced a challenging matchup against players representing the tournament’s host institution but managed to secure the victory. Magdalena Baniak and Aida Eissa, another ninth-seeded pairing, defeated Morgan State’s Michaela Stephens and Roua Limem by an 8-4 score. Their victory provided another successful result for Maryland against an in-state opponent.
Lucia Donnelly and Katherine Hung completed Maryland’s doubles sweep with an impressive 8-2 victory over James Madison’s Sierra Vagi and Niki Tomeljak. The pairing entered the main doubles draw looking to continue Maryland’s strong start to the tournament. Their six-game margin of victory was the second-largest among Maryland’s four doubles matches Friday. With all four combinations advancing, the Terrapins positioned themselves for another important day of competition.
Four Terrapins Advance in Singles
Maryland also enjoyed considerable success in singles competition, with Diya Challa, Anastasiia Sorska, Magdalena Baniak and Oliwia Orlinska advancing to the round of 32. All four players won their matches in straight sets, allowing Maryland to maintain a strong presence in the singles championship draw. Challa produced the most convincing singles victory of the day, defeating Towson’s Kiersten Tambe, 6-0, 6-1. The ninth-seeded Challa surrendered just one game during the match, highlighting her control against the Tigers.
Freshman Anastasiia Sorska continued her encouraging fall campaign with a dominant 6-1, 6-2 victory over Mount St. Mary’s Eirini Tsakiri. Sorska, seeded ninth, controlled both sets and advanced without needing a deciding third set. Her performance added to an impressive opening stretch of collegiate competition after joining Maryland for the 2026-27 season. The freshman also contributed to Maryland’s undefeated doubles record alongside Mulready.
Fourth-seeded Oliwia Orlinska defeated Marshall’s Polina Gomeniuk, 6-2, 6-2, continuing her strong individual performances this fall. Orlinska entered the tournament with valuable experience from the ITA All-American Championships, where she had already demonstrated her ability to compete against high-level collegiate opponents. Her straight-set victory helped Maryland maintain four representatives in the singles draw entering Saturday. Orlinska’s performance was particularly encouraging because she entered the regional tournament as Maryland’s highest-seeded singles competitor.
Magdalena Baniak completed Maryland’s singles victories with a competitive 6-4, 7-5 win over Richmond’s Sofia Barbulescu. Baniak, another ninth-seeded player, faced one of Maryland’s closest successful singles matches of the day. She secured the opening set before overcoming a difficult second set to finish the match without requiring a third. The victory gave Maryland four singles players advancing and added to Baniak’s successful doubles performance alongside Eissa.
Four Maryland Players Eliminated From Singles Draw
Although Maryland enjoyed a strong day overall, four Terrapins suffered defeats in the singles main draw. Mila Mulready fell to ninth-seeded Blair Gill of Virginia Tech, 6-4, 6-3, while fifth-seeded Emma Ghirardato lost a competitive three-set match to James Madison’s Sierra Vagi, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4. Ghirardato battled back after dropping the opening set but could not complete the comeback in the deciding third set. Both players remained active in doubles competition following their singles defeats.
Lucia Donnelly also pushed her opponent to three sets before falling to VCU’s Tania Andrade Sabando, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4. Donnelly had entered Friday’s competition after winning both qualifying matches Thursday, defeating Old Dominion’s Mya Byrd and Richmond’s Lucy Webber in straight sets. Her qualifying success earned her a place in the main singles draw, although her run ended against Andrade Sabando. Senior Aida Eissa also exited singles competition following a 6-0, 6-2 defeat against second-seeded Katie Rolls.
Despite those losses, Maryland finished the day with an even 4-4 singles record and a perfect 4-0 doubles mark. The results demonstrated the team’s ability to remain competitive across multiple draws and against opponents representing several different conferences. Maryland’s victories over Towson, Mount St. Mary’s and Morgan State also provided positive results against fellow Maryland institutions. The Terrapins will now look to carry their momentum into the tournament’s later rounds.
Complete Maryland Doubles Results — October 16
| Maryland Pairing | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Mulready / Sorska | Lemus / Joseph (Liberty) | W, 8-5 |
| Baniak / Eissa | Stephens / Limem (Morgan State) | W, 8-4 |
| Ghirardato / Challa | Ghorab / Midzi (Hampton) | W, 8-0 |
| Donnelly / Hung | Vagi / Tomeljak (James Madison) | W, 8-2 |
Complete Maryland Singles Results — October 16
| Maryland Player | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Magdalena Baniak | Sofia Barbulescu (Richmond) | W, 6-4, 7-5 |
| Anastasiia Sorska | Eirini Tsakiri (Mount St. Mary’s) | W, 6-1, 6-2 |
| Oliwia Orlinska | Polina Gomeniuk (Marshall) | W, 6-2, 6-2 |
| Diya Challa | Kiersten Tambe (Towson) | W, 6-0, 6-1 |
| Mila Mulready | Blair Gill (Virginia Tech) | L, 4-6, 3-6 |
| Emma Ghirardato | Sierra Vagi (James Madison) | L, 2-6, 6-3, 4-6 |
| Lucia Donnelly | Tania Andrade Sabando (VCU) | L, 4-6, 6-2, 4-6 |
| Aida Eissa | Katie Rolls | L, 0-6, 2-6 |
Maryland Continues Pursuit of NCAA Championship Qualification
The ITA Atlantic Regional Championships carry significant postseason implications, with the singles finalists and doubles champions earning direct qualification for the NCAA individual championships in November. Maryland entered the event with nine players participating across singles and doubles competition, giving the Terrapins several opportunities to advance deep into the draws. Friday’s undefeated doubles performance ensured that all four Maryland pairings remained in contention entering the following round. The tournament continues through October 19, providing additional opportunities for Maryland’s players to compete against some of the region’s strongest collegiate talent.
The Terrapins have demonstrated promising depth throughout the fall, highlighted by contributions from established veterans and newcomers. Sorska and Mulready have provided immediate assistance, while Orlinska, Challa, Baniak and Ghirardato continue contributing valuable experience. Maryland’s strong doubles performance Friday illustrated how that combination of returning talent and new additions can benefit the program. Advancing deeper into the regional championships would provide another important accomplishment heading toward the spring dual-match season.
MSB Take
Maryland’s undefeated doubles performance was the most encouraging development from Friday’s competition, especially considering the variety of opponents the Terrapins faced. Winning all four matches by a combined 32-11 margin in games demonstrated the team’s ability to control matches and finish opportunities. Ghirardato and Challa’s 8-0 victory stood out, while Donnelly and Hung also delivered an impressive performance against James Madison. The results suggest Maryland has multiple doubles combinations capable of competing effectively rather than relying exclusively on one standout pairing.
The singles performances were also encouraging, particularly the dominant victories from Challa, Sorska and Orlinska. Maryland’s four advancing singles players won all eight sets they contested, demonstrating their ability to handle the opening round without extended matches. The biggest challenge will be maintaining that consistency as the competition becomes increasingly difficult in the later rounds. If Maryland can continue producing strong doubles results while keeping multiple singles players alive, the Terrapins have an opportunity to make a significant impact at the ITA Atlantic Regional Championships.
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