Mid-American Conference

MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES WOMEN’S TENNIS PLAYER AND DOUBLES TEAM OF THE WEEK
 
MAC Women’s Singles Tennis Player of the Week
Colleen O’Brien, Toledo – Senior, Ann Arbor, Mich. (Father Gabriel Richard High School)
Toledo senior Colleen O’Brien was a huge part of Toledo’s 4-3 victories against Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan over the weekend. O’Brien was the lone Rocket to win both of her singles matches and swept her opponents in each outing. On Friday against Eastern Michigan she lined up against Andrea Martinovska, O’Brien went 6-3, 6-4 in the No. 3 spot. Her victory put Toledo one match away from clinching the day. O’Brien was a key component to Toledo’s victory over the Broncos as well. Again playing No. 3, O’Brien handed Western Michigan’s Denise Azcui her second conference singles loss of the season after going 7-6 (5), 6-3. The win was O’Brien’s fifth-straight, and helped Toledo go on to beat the Broncos for only the second time in program history. Toledo is now on a five-match winning streak.
 
Additional Women’s Singles Nominees:
Anna Uljanov, Akron–Freshman, Schweinfurt, Germany (Olympia Morata Gymnasium)
Akron freshman Anna Uljanov was the Zips’ sole winner against defending MAC champion and undefeated Buffalo. At No. 3 singles, Uljanov defeated Lolade Ogungbesan in straight sets, 7-5, 6-4. In singles action, Uljanov is 13-6 in singles action this spring, including a team-best 6-1 in MAC action.
 
Isabelle Dohanics, Ball State–Junior, Cranberry Township, Pa. (North Catholic Central High School)
Ball State junior Isabelle Dohanics clinched the winning point for the Cardinals last Friday after she defeated Jeryn Jack on court four 6-0, 7-6 (7-4).  She then carried that same momentum into Sunday’s match against Northern Illinois defeating Abigail Decking at the No. 4 singles position 6-3, 6-4 helping the Cardinals to a 6-1 victory over the Huskies.
 
Vanesa Pardo, Bowling Green–Junior, Puertollano, Spain (Ies Fray Andres)
Bowling Green junior Vanesa Pardo at No. 4 singles picked up a point for the Falcons as she earned her fifth victory on the season, and first at the No. 4 singles spot in the lineup. After dropping the opening set, Pardo quickly rebounded to handedly earn the match victory by scores of 6-3, and 6-4 in the second and third sets against Miami.
 
Tanja Stojanovska, Buffalo – Senior, Ohrid, Macedonia
Buffalo senior Tanja Stojanovska dominated her lone match this weekend at Akron as she defeated Rita Pedroso at second singles, 6-1, 6-1, dropping just two games in the win. Stojanovska is 7-3 at second singles and 16-6 overall for the Bulls as they won their 11th straight match on Saturday against the Zips, improving to 14-3 overall and 7-0 in league play.
 
Ani Gogvadze, Eastern Michigan – Senior, Tbilisi, Georgia
Eastern Michigan senior Ani Gogvadze got back on the right track with yet another 2-0 weekend at No. 1 singles, defeating Toledo's top player by a 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 final, and cruising to a 7-5, 6-3 win against Tiffin's No. 1. The Tbilisi, Georgia is an impressive 19-2 as the Eagles' No. 1 player in the dual season and has put together a 5-2 record in MAC play. She has the chance to become the first EMU tennis player to reach the 20-win plateau in the dual season with one match at Northern Illinois remaining.
 
Emily Struble, Miami – Junior, Holt, Mich. (Okemos High School)
Miami junior Emily Struble at No. 3 singles defeated Bowling Green's Ayumi Sasaki 6-1, 6-2 on Friday, April 13.
 
Barbare Eristavi, Western Michigan – Senior, Tbilisi, Georgia (GAU)
Western Michigan senior Barbare Eristavi played a big role for the Western Michigan women’s tennis team this weekend with a pair of victories at No. 1. She began by defeating Ball State’s Adurey Berger 7-5, 6-4 before taking an exciting three set comeback win over Deedee Leenabanchong of Toledo. Eristavi is now 15-12 overall, 13-8 this spring and 7-5 at the one position for the Broncos.
 
 
MAC Women’s Tennis Doubles Team of the Week
Sidnay Huck, Toledo – Senior, Fort Wayne, Ind. (Home schooled)
Kokoro Chishaki, Toledo – Junior, Kashiwa, Japan (Sonoda Gakuen High School)

Toledo senior Sidnay Huck and junior Kokoro Chishaki were key anchors to Toledo’s 4-3 wins over Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan over the weekend. The duo went 2-0 and were the lone Toledo doubles team to win against both the Eagles and Broncos. On Friday against Eastern Michigan, the No. 1 team won 6-3 over Ani Gogvadze and Andrea Martinovska, clinching the doubles point. The doubles point essentially won the match for Toledo after singles competition ended with a 3-3 split. Sunday’s match against the Broncos also came down to the wire. Huck and Chishaki won No.1 doubles 6-2 over Barbare Eristavi and Gabriela Slavova, setting up Toledo’s No. 3 team of senior Megan Miller and junior Thalita Rodrigues to clinch the point. Huck and Chishaki’s victory was again the deciding point after Toledo and Western Michigan split the singles. With the weekend sweep, Huck and Chishaki have established a five-match winning streak and are 8-2 in their last 10 outings.

Additional Women’s Doubles Nominees:
Sarah Swiderski, Ball State–Junior, Wesley Chapel, Fla. (Saddlebrook Prep H.S.)
Isabelle Dohanics, Ball State–Junior, Cranberry Township, Pa. (North Catholic Central High School)
 
Ball State junior Sarah Swiderski and junior Isabelle Dohanics went 2-0 this past weekend in MAC play.  The duo opened league action Friday with a 6-3 win over Valentina Briend and Jeryn Jack of Western Michigan.  Swiderski and Dohanics then closed MAC play with a 6-2 victory over the Huskies Abigail Dekkinga and Brodie Walker on Sunday helping the Cardinals to register wins over both opponents Friday and Sunday.
 
Paula Comella, Bowling Green–Junior, Ciutadella de Menorca, Spain (Ies Cteib)
Marta Bettinelli, Bowling Green–Freshman, Milan, Italy (Liceo Scientifico Leonardo Da Vinci)
 
Bowling Green junior Paula Comella and freshman Marta Bettinelli att No. 1 doubles teamed up for the first time since the fall campaign and earned a 7-6 win over Miami. It marked Bettinelli’s first official win at No. 1 doubles in her career.
 
Chantal Martinez Blanco, Buffalo – Junior, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Lolade Ogungbesan, Buffalo – Senior, London, England

Buffalo junior Chantal Martinez Blanco and senior Lolade Ogungbesan at No. 1 doubles won their lone match of the week as they defeated Rita Pedroso and Anna Uljanov of Akron, 6-3.  The win helped Buffalo to a 6-1 road victory over the Zips as the Bulls won their 11th straight match and improved to 14-3 on the season and 7-0 in MAC play.  The duo is 6-3 at first doubles this year and 18-6 overall.

Emily Struble, Miami – Junior, Holt, Mich. (Okemos High School)
Melati Devi, Miami – Freshman, Jakarta, Indonesia

Miami junior Emily Struble and freshman Melati Devi at No. 3 doubles defeated Bowling Green's Wassman/Pardo 6-1 on Friday, April 13.