Mid-American Conference

MAC Women's Tennis Scoreboard:

Thursday, March 12
Michigan 7, Western Michigan 0

Friday, March 13
Marshall 4, Miami 3

Saturday, March 14
Ball State 7, Oakland 0
College of Charleston 4, Buffalo 3
Miami 6, Winthrop 1
Xavier 4, Toledo 3

Sunday, March 15
UIC 7, Bowling Green 0

Tuesday, March 17
Ball State 6, Butler 1


Ball State:

Cardinals Top Butler, 6-1

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The Ball State women's tennis team extended its win streak to seven after earning a 6-1 victory at Butler Tuesday afternoon.  With the win, the Cardinals improved their non-conference record to 9-2 on the season while the Bulldogs fall to 4-13 on the year.

"Today I thought the team really did well adjusting to the weather," Ball State sophomore Toni Ormond said.  "With the wind during my matches, my main focus was on my footwork and making sure I was ready and in place to hit every ball."

Ball State took the 1-0 lead early winning the doubles point.  Courtney Earnest alongside teammate Rosalinda Calderon defeated Konstantina Adami and Kylie Haviland 6-3 on court one.  Olivia Large and doubles partner Toni Ormond also won 6-3 against Michelle McFerran and Grace Hyde at the No. 3 position.

Calderon won the Cardinals' first singles point winning at No. 5 singles 6-2, 6-0 to extend Ball State's lead to 2-0.  Courtney Wild won in straight sets on the top court 6-1, 6-3 over Haviland to put the Cardinals up 3-0.  Ormond clinched the match for Ball State at the No. 4 singles position after taking down Kailey Eaton, 7-5, 6-2.  Rang and Large rounded out the wins for the Cardinals at the No. 3 and No. 6 positions, respectively.

The Ball State women's tennis team continues on the road Saturday at IPFW for a 2 p.m. first serve in Fort Wayne, Ind.  After that, the Cardinals return home for a match against IUPUI Sunday at 12:30 p.m. in the Cardinal Creek Tennis Center.


Women's Tennis Sweeps Oakland, 7-0

MUNCIE, Ind. - The Ball State women's tennis team swept Oakland, 7-0, in its first outdoor match of the season Saturday afternoon at the Cardinal Creek Tennis Center.

The Cardinals (8-2) cruised to their sixth straight win by sweeping all six singles matches and winning 2-of-3 doubles matches against the Golden Grizzlies.

“It was going to be hard coming outside first match,” said senior Courtney Wild.  “ I knew we needed a lot of intensity and focus, especially with  serves.  As a team, we just needed to bring that intensity and fight on every single court.  I think we all came together as a team and we are going to need that for Butler.”

Courtney Earnest and Rosalinda Calderon defeated Cam Sabourin and Camille Hemond-Hill 6-0 at the No. 1 doubles position.  On court two, Bethany Moore and Courtney Wild clinched the doubles point after taking down Oakland's Karine Celis and Juliana Guevara, 6-3.

Ball State carried its momentum into singles play dominating the Golden Grizzlies on all six courts.  Wild, Earnest, Toni Ormond, Moore and Calderon all defeated their respective opponents in straight sets.  Ashlyn Rang won a two set tie breaker on court three to end the match against Elizabeith Guy, 5-7, 6-4, 1-0 (12-10).  Earnest clinched the fourth point for the Cardinals after beating Karine Celis, 6-1, 6-3.

The Ball State women's tennis team continues non-conference action at Butler Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. in Indianapolis, Ind.


Bowling Green:

Falcons Drop 7-0 Decision To UIC

Host UIC captured the doubles point, then won at each singles flight en route to a 7-0 victory over the Bowling Green State University tennis team Sunday (March 15). The match, the Falcons' final non-conference dual match of the 2014-15 campaign, was held at the Flames Outdoor Tennis Courts.

"It was great to see all of the girls that have been out the past couple of matches back in the lineup and competing today," said BGSU head coach Olga Elkin. "It was our first match outside and it took us some time to adjust, but we are excited to practice outside this week and hopefully get to play outside this weekend for our first conference matches of the season."

The Flames picked up wins at the top-two doubles flights to take the first point of the day. UIC's team of Keti Mebuke and Oana Manole defeated freshman Megan Miller and sophomore Harley Hutchison at the number-one flight, and the Flames' Jackie Altansarnai and Ann-Sophie Hahn topped freshman Emily Witt and soph Brittany Plaszewski at flight number two.

At the third flight, Antonina Farrar and Leeah Floyd had a 3-2 lead over UIC's Bianca Zuzu and Melika LeBlanc when the match was called due to the completion of the first- and second-flight matches.

In singles, the Flames won each of the matches in straight sets, although Mebuke won by the slimmest of margins at the top flight. Mebuke edged Miller, 7-5, in the first set, then captured a second-set tiebreaker after the two players had split their 12 games in that set.

Hutchison, Witt and Plaszewski represented the Falcons at flights two through four, respectively, in the singles lineup. At the fifth flight, Floyd dropped her opening set by a 6-0 score against Zuzu, then battled her UIC opponent through a tight second set before falling by a 6-4 final. LeBlanc defeated Farrar at the sixth flight.

The Falcons now return to Northwest Ohio to prepare for the Mid-American Conference opener. BGSU will face Northern Illinois University on Friday (March 20), with that match scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. at Keefe Courts. In the event of inclement weather, the match would be held at the Perrysburg Tennis Center. Then, on Sunday (March 22), MAC play continues as Western Michigan University comes to town for another 1:00 p.m. start.

UIC 7, BGSU 0
Sunday, March 15, 2015 – Flames Outdoor Tennis Courts – Chicago, Ill.
SINGLES
1 – Keti Mebuke (UIC) def. Megan Miller 7-5, 7-6 (4)
2 – Jackie Altansarnai (UIC) def. Harley Hutchison 6-2, 6-2
3 – Oana Manole (UIC) def. Emily Witt 6-0, 6-1
4 – Ann-Sophie Hahn (UIC) def. Brittany Plaszewski 6-2, 6-1
5 – Bianca Zuzu (UIC) def. Leeah Floyd 6-0, 6-4
6 – Melika LeBlanc (UIC) def. Antonina Farrar 6-0, 6-1

DOUBLES
1 – Mebuke/Manole (UIC) def. Miller/Hutchison
2 – Altansarnai/Hahn (UIC) def. Witt/Plaszewski
3 – Floyd/Farrar (BGSU) vs. Zuzu/LeBlanc (UIC), 3-2, DNF

RECORDS
BGSU 0-9
UIC 3-6


Buffalo:

Women's Tennis Falls At First Outdoor Match, 4-3

CHARLESTON, SC – The University at Buffalo, State University of New York women's tennis team was edged 4-3 Saturday by The College of Charleston at Patriots Point Tennis Center.

The Bulls (4-5) claimed the doubles point and the top two singles matches, but the Cougars (2-10) took the third through sixth singles matches to secure the match.

Sophomore Margarita Kotok and freshman Tanja Stojanovska each claimed a pair of matches. The Bulls won back-to-back doubles matches after dropping a 6-3 decision at number two. Kotok and junior Dayana Agasieva paired together for a 6-4 first-doubles victory, before Stojanovska and classmate Christine Haraldson defeated the Cougars, 6-4, at the third spot.

Kotok outlasted Samantha Maddox, 6-4, 7-6 (5), at top singles, while Stojanovska cruised to a 6-1, 6-2 victory at second singles against Mara Argyriou. Agasieva suffered a three-set heartbreaker to Katherine Schofield, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4.

The Bulls remain in Charleston to play Rutgers on Monday at 10 am.

DOUBLES
No. 1: Kotok/Agasieva (UB) def. Falcone/Schofield (CofC), 6-4
No. 2: Maddox/Nyikos (CofC) def. Fernandez/Holterbosch (UB), 6-3
No. 3: Stojanovska/Haraldson (UB) def. Jones/Baker (CofC), 6-4

SINGLES
No. 1: Margarita Kotok (UB) def. Samantha Maddox (CofC), 6-4, 7-6, (7-5)
No. 2: Tanja Stojanovska (UB) def. Mara Argyriou (CofC), 6-1, 6-2
No. 3: Katherine Schofield (CofC) def. Dayana Agasieva (UB), 4-6, 6-2, 6-4
No. 4: Jenny Falcone (CofC) def. Laura Fernandez (UB), 6-1, 6-1
No. 5: Grace Baker (CofC) def. Laura Holterbosch (UB), 6-3, 6-4
No. 6: Sara Jane Jones (CofC) def. Christine Haraldson (UB), 6-3, 6-4


Miami:

Women's Tennis Wins 6-1 Over Winthrop

HUNTINGTON, W. Va. – After a heartbreaking loss to Marshall on Friday, the Miami University women’s tennis team rebounded with a 6-1 victory over the Winthrop Eagles Saturday afternoon at the Huntington Tennis Center. The win marked Miami’s final non-conference contest of the season and leaves the RedHawks at 6-6 as they enter Mid-American Conference play. For the Eagles, it was their second consecutive loss and dropped them to 6-9.

The doubles portion began in familiar fashion for the RedHawks as senior Ramona Costea and sophomore Andreea Badileanu won their seventh consecutive match with an 8-2 decision against Camille Amrani and Monica Aquado in third flight. Following a Winthrop victory, senior Christine Guerrazzi and freshman Nelli Ponomareva clinched the point with their 8-5 first flight victory.

Badileanu also extended her singles winning streak to seven with a commanding 6-1, 6-0 result over Tijana Uzelac that gave Miami its first singles point. Senior Alix Thurman faced stiff competition from Alice Garcia, but eventually took control for a 6-3, 6-3 win in first flight. Ana Rajkovic used a strong first set to grab a 6-1, 6-3 win over Aquado that clinched the match victory for the RedHawks. After dropping her first set, Ponomareva fought back to take her match, 4-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-3), against Mariana Humberg. In the day’s final match, Costea closed out competition with a 6-1, 6-2 decision against Amrani.

The RedHawks will now return to Oxford for their MAC opener and tentatively, their 2015 debut at the Hepburn Varsity Tennis Courts. They will face Western Michigan on Friday March 20 at 1:00 p.m. and the Northern Illinois Huskies on Sunday March 22 at 1:00 p.m. In the case of inclement weather, the matches will be moved to the Riverside Athletic Club in Hamilton. Check MURedHawks.com for live stats and recaps of both matches.

SINGLES
1.    Alix Thurman (MU) def. Alice Garcia (WIN), 6-3, 6-3
2.    Ekin Gunaysu (WIN) def. Christine Guerrazzi (MU), 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (10-8)
3.    Andreea Badileanu (MU) def. Tijana Uzelac (WIN), 6-1, 6-0
4.    Nelli Ponomareva (MU) def. Mariana Humberg (WIN), 4-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-3)
5.    Ana Rajkovic (MU) def. Monica Aquado (WIN), 6-1, 6-3
6.    Ramona Costea (MU) def. Camille Amrani (WIN), 6-1, 6-2
Order of finish: 3, 1, 5, 4, 2, 6

DOUBLES
1.    Christine Guerrazzi/Nelli Ponomareva (MU) def. Alice Garcia/Mariana Humberg (WIN), 8-5
2.    Ekin Gunaysu/Tijana Uzelac (WIN) def. Ana Rajkovic/Alix Thurman (MU), 8-6
3.    Andreea Badileanu/Ramona Costea (MU) def. Camille Amrani/Monica Aquado (WIN), 8-2
Order of finish: 3, 2, 1


RedHawks Drop 4-3 Decision To Marshall

HUNTINGTON, W. Va. – Miami University’s women’s tennis team built a commanding lead, but could not come through with a fourth consecutive victory as #74 Marshall rallied to win 4-3 Friday evening in a marathon, four-hour match at the Huntington Tennis Center. The RedHawks fell to 5-6 with the loss while Marshall improved its mark to 10-4.

The RedHawks were able to pull through with a victory in one of their most competitive doubles contests of the season. Senior Ramona Costea and sophomore Andreea Badileanu followed up their Mid-American Conference Doubles Team of the Week Award with a sixth consecutive victory, dropping Rachael Morales and Maddie Silver, 8-6, in third flight. The pair of senior Alix Thurman and freshman Hannah Shteyn clinched Miami’s point with a tight 8-7 (7-2) match. Thurman and Shteyn have now been victorious in nine of their last eleven matches.

The singles portion started with a decisive third flight victory for Badileanu, extending her singles winning streak to six. After falling behind early in the first set, she recovered to take it in a 7-2 tiebreak before blanking Anna Pomyatinskaya in a 7-6 (2), 6-0 result. Senior Christine Guerrazzi won her fourth straight with a 6-1, 6-2 second flight victory against Silver that put Miami up 3-0 in the match. After three consecutive Herd victories to tie, the match then came down to Shteyn on sixth flight against Morales. Although the Miami freshman took the opening set, she could not carry the momentum in a result that clinched a Marshall victory.

SINGLES
1.    Derya Turhan (MAR) def. Alix Thurman (MU), 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
2.    Christine Guerrazzi (MU) def. Maddie Silver (MAR), 6-1, 6-2
3.    Andreea Badileanu (MU) def. Anna Pomyatinskaya (MAR), 7-6 (2), 6-0
4.    Kai Broomfield (MAR) def. Nelli Ponomareva (MU), 6-0, 1-6, 6-3
5.    Marija Bogicevic (MAR) def. Ana Rajkovic (MU), 6-2, 7-5
6.    Rachael Morales (MAR) def. Hannah Shteyn (MU), 4-6, 6-4, 6-1
Order of finish: 3, 2, 5, 4, 1, 6

DOUBLES
1.    Derya Turhan/Anna Pomyatinskaya (MAR) def. Nelli Ponomareva/Christine Guerrazzi (MU), 8-6
2.    Hannah Shteyn/Alix Thurman (MU) def. Kai Broomfield/Marija Bogicevic (MAR), 8-7 (2)
3.    Andreea Badileanu/Ramona Costea (MU) def. Maddie Silver/Rachael Morales (MAR), 8-6
Order of finish: 1, 3, 2


Toledo:

Rockets Drop 4-3 Decision To Xavier

TOLEDO, OH - The Toledo women's tennis team saw its three-match winning streak snapped on Saturday, falling to Xavier 4-3 in a tough Saturday afternoon matchup.  With the loss, UT is now 9-5 on the year.

The Rockets led off the match by capturing the doubles point once again. UT has won the doubles point in all but one of their 14 contests.

Senior Pia Rygh and sophomore Lauren Thai took home a 6-4 win at the top doubles spot, while the duo of freshman Sidnay Huck and junior Mackenzie Bowman clinched the match's first point with a 6-3 victory at the No. 3 doubles spot.

In singles play, the Rockets were unable to keep the victories coming, as the Musketeers won four of the six doubles matchups.

Rygh and junior Emily Mazzola were the only two victorious Rockets, as they won at No. 2 and No. 6 singles, respectively.

The Rockets begin Mid-American Conference play with two home matches next weekend. UT will host Buffalo on Friday, March 20 at 1:00 p.m. and welcome Akron to the Glass City on Sunday, March 22.


Western Michigan:

Women's Tennis Falls At Michigan

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Western Michigan women’s tennis team wrapped up a stretch of four straight matches on the road, falling 7-0 to the 13th-ranked Michigan Wolverines at the Varsity Tennis Center in Ann Arbor on Thursday. With the loss, the Broncos fall to 8-7 overall on the season. WMU will begin Mid-American Conference play next week.

The high-powered Wolverines took control at the outset of doubles play, with the 64th-ranked doubles pair of Sarah Lee and Ronit Yurovsky defeating Barbare Eristavi and Yuriko Ono 8-1 in the No. 2 doubles match. Kristen Dodge and Mira Ruder-Hook clinched the doubles point for Michigan with an 8-2 win in the No. 3 match over Tracy Kuhle and Olivia Myers.

The closest the Broncos came to taking a point in the match was in the No. 5 singles match, where Labina Petrovska came back from a set down to force a third set against Sara Remynse. Petrovska bounced back from a 6-1 loss in the first set to win the second 7-5, but Remynse eked out a 10-6 decision in the third set tiebreaker for the win. The match was clinched by #124 Sarah Lee, who downed Eristavi 6-3, 6-1 in the No. 3 singles match.

Singles
No. 1 -- No. 19 Ronit Yurovsky (U-M) d. Meika Ashby (WMU), 6-1, 6-2
No. 2 -- Alex Najarian (U-M) d. Tracy Kuhle (WMU), 6-2, 6-4
No. 3 -- No. 124 Sarah Lee (U-M) d. Barbare Eristavi (WMU), 6-3, 6-1
No. 4 -- Mira Ruder-Hook (U-M) d. Ella Perinovic (WMU), 6-0, 6-0
No. 5 -- Sara Remynse (U-M) d. Labina Petrovska (WMU), 6-1, 5-7, 1-0 (6)
No. 6 -- Annie Wierda (U-M) d. Yuriko Ono (WMU), 6-4, 6-1

Doubles
No. 1 -- No. 14 Alex Najarian/Emina Bektas (U-M) d. No. 52 Caroline Aleck/Meika Ashby (WMU), 8-1
No. 2 -- No. 64 Sarah Lee/Ronit Yurovsky (U-M) d. Barbare Eristavi/Yuriko Ono (WMU), 8-1
No. 3 -- Kristen Dodge/Mira Ruder-Hook (U-M) d. Tracy Kuhle/Olivia Myers (WMU), 8-2

Order of Completion: Doubles 2-3-1; Singles 1-4-3-2-6-5