The stage in Norfolk, Virginia, has been set where the Old Dominion Monarchs women’s tennis team is poised to make a strong postseason run. Three stellar athletes, Victoria Matasova, Ulyana Romanova, and Lidiia Rasskouskaia, have been chosen to take part in this week at the ITA Conference Masters Championships, which will start on Thursday, November 6. Their goal? To obtain desirable bids at the 2025 NCCA Tournament, which begins on November 18 in Orlando, Florida.
Road to Orlando: Diagnosing the Stakes.
ITA Tournament out of each conference will only allow one singles player and one doubles pairing to proceed to the NCAA Tournament. That is why each match is decisive. The singles players will have a minimum of a semifinal, and the doubles will have the first through third places as all qualified bids to the NCAA.
At this point, Matasova is in the singles draw and the pair of Romanova and Rasskouskaia in the doubles draw as the representatives of ODU – three young athletes with the expectations of a program that wants to make a mark in the postseason.
Player Profiles: The Trio Meeting.
Victoria Matasova
Playing in the singles draw, Matasova comes with a 74 record this fall. The consistency and the momentum she has provided her with a real opportunity to make it through and claim the singles berth at ODU.
Ulyana Romanova & Lidiia Rasskouskaia.
This doubles pairing combines a 3-2 record together with a record this season. Although the record is not eye-catching, their choice reflects on their chemistry, perseverance, and the trust that the coaching staff has in them to perform at the highest level of collegiate competition.
The importance of this is that it will help ODU in the long term with its mission.
In the case of the Monarchs program, it is not merely a personal chance to have this trio represent the ITA Conference Masters Championships but an opportunity to grow and flourish. Qualifying for the NCAA tournament brings more exposure, higher recruiting leverage, and a stage with which to evaluate oneself with the most competitive collegiate tennis players in the country.
To the athletes themselves, it is the reward of years of hard work, discipline, and performance under pressure. They may or may not be successful in getting the bid, but the fact that they compete on this level indicates their readiness to take the next step, whether it is in their collegiate tennis career, international career, or professional career.
My Opinion: Grit Meets Opportunity.
In my opinion, this moment is particularly important to the Monarchs. As Matasova has already produced good singles performances and the Romanova / Rasskouskaia tandem continues to gain traction, ODU has a legitimate opportunity to be heard come postseason. The stakes are steep; this is the top players of both conferences and a wrong step can result in losing the chance to take part in a tournament.
But what I find interesting is how these sportsmen are living the right attitude. They are accepting the pressure and stepping up when needed, and they are holding their program with dignity. To Matasova, a 7-4 record is an indicator of the upward trend; to Romanova and Rasskouskaia, the pairing is obviously earning trust and coordination.
When ODU is able to harness this combined energy and empower it to action in Norfolk and even further, they may not merely compete; they can qualify. And with the bid won, there is nothing impossible in the national arena.
