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Firebirds Battle in Conference Matchup Against St. Thomas Aquinas
Posted: Mar 27, 2026

Firebirds Battle in Conference Matchup Against St. Thomas Aquinas

Box Score
Team Stats
Doubles
  • Polina Zelentsova / Célia Bastin def. Kateryna Kryuchkova / Zhuoxan Sun 6-3
  • Mar Caneves Bufi / Shreethika Vangala def. Lina Benjelloun / Sofiia Shaparenko 6-4
  • Chanelle Russell / Monica Martinez Blucher def. No Player / No player
Singles
  • Kateryna Kryuchkova def. Polina Zelentsova 6-3, 6-2
  • Mar Caneves Bufi def. Célia Bastin 6-3, 6-2
  • Lina Benjelloun def. Shreethika Vangala 7-6, 6-5, 0-1
  • Zhuoxan Sun def. Sofiia Shaparenko 7-5, 6-2
  • Nadja Zmukic def. Monica Martinez Blucher 6-0, 6-0
  • Chanelle Russell def. No Player

 WASHINGTON, D.C. – The University of the District of Columbia women's tennis team dropped a competitive East Coast Conference matchup to St. Thomas Aquinas, 5–2, on Friday.

UDC opened the match by splitting decisions in doubles play. The No. 1 pairing of Célia Bastin and Polina Zelentsova secured a strong 6–3 victory over Kryuchkova/Sun to highlight the doubles action. However, St. Thomas Aquinas claimed wins at the No. 2 and No. 3 spots to take the early 1–0 advantage.

In singles competition, the Firebirds picked up two impressive victories. At the No. 3 position, Lina Benjelloun delivered a clutch performance, earning a 7-6(5), 6-1 win. Nadja Zmukic followed with a dominant showing at No. 5 singles, cruising to a 6-0, 6-0 victory.

St. Thomas Aquinas secured the remaining singles matches at the top and middle of the lineup to clinch the overall match.

The Firebirds hit the road next Wednesday for a non-conference matchup against Frostburg State.

Doubles
1. Bastin/Zelentsova def. Kryuchkova/Sun (STAC) 6-3
2. Caneves Bufi/Vangala (STAC) def. Benjelloun/Shaparenko 6-4
3. Russell/Martinez Blucher (STAC) def. default
 
Singles
1. Kateryna Kryuchkova (STAC) def. Polina Zelentsova 6-3, 6-2
2. Mar Caneves Bufi (STAC) def. Célia Bastin 6-3, 6-2
3. Lina Benjelloun def. Shree Vangala (STAC) 7-6(5), 6-1
4. Zhouxuan Sub (STAC) def. Sofiia Shaparenko 7-5, 6-2
5. Nadja Zmukic def. Monica Martinez Blucher 6-0, 6-0
6. Chanelle Russell (STAC) def. default
 
UDC - 2
STAC - 5
 
Order of Completion
Doubles: 3, 1, 2*
Singles: 6, 1, 2*, 4, 3, 5