Mid-American Conference

MAC Women's Tennis Scoreboard

Friday, March 20
Eastern Michigan 4, Akron 3
Miami 7, Western Michigan 0
Northern Illinois 4, Bowling Green 3
Toledo 5, Buffalo 2

Saturday, March 21
Ball State 5, IPFW 2

Sunday, March 22
Buffalo 5, Eastern Michigan 2
IUPUI at Ball State, Cancelled
Miami 6, Northern Illinois 1
Toledo 4, Akron 3
Western Michigan 6, Bowling Green 1


Akron:

Women's Tennis Lose To Toledo, 4-3

TOLEDO, Ohio— The University of Akron women's tennis team dropped a 4-3 decision at Toledo in Mid-American Conference action on Sunday afternoon at the Shadow Valley Tennis Club.  The Zips fell to 7-8 overall and 0-2 in MAC play, while the Rockets improved to 11-5 overall and 2-0 in the MAC.

"Another tough loss today, but once again, I am extremely proud of the effort shown," head coach Brandon Padgett said. "We still need better balance throughout the line-up, but we will continue to work, and our fortune will change."

In doubles action, Toledo captured wins at No. 1 and No. 3 to claim the team point. The pairs at the No. 2 spot did not finish play.

In singles action, Akron won at the No. 4, 5, and 6 spots. Senior Olga Shkundina (Ufa, Russia) defeated Lauren Thai, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, while freshman Sophia Geier (Burgebrach, Germany) beat Emily Mazzola, 6-0 6-2. Sophomore Shannon Newnes (Romford, London) won a tough battle with Katelyn Nguyen, 7-5, 7-6 (5).

Akron travels to UW-Milwaukee on Tuesday, March 24, for a 1 p.m. match before returning home to the LaTuchie Tennis Center to host Bowling Green on Friday, March 27, at 1 p.m.

TOLEDO 4, AKRON 3 - March 22, 2015

Doubles:
1. Pia Rygh/Lauren Thai (TOL) def. Martina Zerbola / Sophia Geier, 6-3
2. Emily Mazzola/Lexy Pitt (TOL) vs. Madison Cohen / Karolina Maksimova (5-4, unfinished)
3. Sidnay Huck/Mackenzie Bowman (TOL) def. Olga Shkundina / Shannon Newnes, 6-2

Singles:
1. Pia Rygh (TOL) def. Karolina Maksimova, 6-2, 6-3
2. Lexy Pitt (TOL) def. Martina Zerbola, 6-4, 6-3
3. Sidnay Huck (TOL) def. Ariadna Blinova, 6-2, 6-1
4. Olga Shkundina (UA) def. Lauren Thai, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2
5. Sophia Geier (UA) def. Emily Mazzola, 6-0 6-2
6. Shannon Newnes (UA) def. Katelyn Nguyen, 7-5, 7-6 (5)

Order of finish:
Doubles— 3, 1
Singles— 5, 3, 1, 4, 2, 6


Zips Fall To Eastern Michigan, 4-3

AKRON, Ohio— In its Mid-American Conference opener, the University of Akron women's tennis team fell to Eastern Michigan, 4-3, on Friday at the LaTuchie Tennis Center. The Zips fell to 7-7 overall and 0-1 in MAC play, while the Eagles improved to 5-9 overall, 1-0 in the MAC.

"We played very well today," head coach Brandon Padgett said.  "Eastern Michigan always has strong doubles, and we knew that coming in, but our singles play is what I was most impressed with.  Playing without one of our best players, this team stepped up, played hard, and deserved a better fate today. I am proud of the effort and know that this type of effort will pay off in the end."

In doubles action, EMU claimed the team point with wins at the No. 1 and No. 2 spots. Third doubles action stopped once the Eagles clinched the point.

In singles action, Akron freshman Ariadna Blinova (Riga, Latvia) captured a 6-3, 6-3 win over Daphne Friedrichs at the No. 3 spot. At No. 5 singles, freshman Sophia Geier (Burgebrach, Germany) defeated Maria Paula Ribero, 6-1, 6-1, while sophomore Shannon Newnes (Romford, London) beat Renu Sharma, 6-2, 6-0, at No. 6 singles.

With the team score tied 3-3, the match came down to play at No. 2 singles as junior Martina Zerbola (Neuquen, Argentina) battled Ani Gogvadze to three sets. Zerbola won the first set, 7-6. Gogvadze won the match with identical 6-4 scores in the second and third sets to clinch the team's first MAC win.

Akron continues MAC play with its first road trip in conference play. The Zips travel to Toledo on Sunday, March 22 for a 1 p.m. match.

EASTERN MICHIGAN 3, AKRON 3 - March 20, 2015

Doubles:
1. Lara Supejova / Andrea Martinovska (EMU) def. Martina Zerbola / Sophia Geier, 6-2
2. Maria Paula Ribero / Ani Gogvadze (EMU) def. Shannon Newnes / Madison Cohen, 6-0
3. Ariadna Blinova / Karolina Maksimova (UA) vs. Daphne Friedrichs / Alenjandra Barcelo (EMU), unfinished (EMU led 4-3)

Singles:
1. Klara Supejova (EMU) def. Karolina Maksimova, 6-3, 6-0
2. Ani Gogvadze (EMU) def. Martina Zerbola, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4
3. Ariadna Blinova (UA) def. Daphne Friedrichs, 6-3, 6-3
4. Andrea Martinovska (EMU) def. Madison Cohen, 6-0, 7-5
5. Sophia Geier (UA) def. Maria Paula Ribero, 6-1, 6-1
6. Shannon Newnes (UA) def. Renu Sharma, 6-2, 6-0

Order of finish:
Doubles— 2, 1, 3
Singles— 6, 1, 5, 4, 3, 2


Ball State:

Cardinals Win Fifth Straight With 5-2 Decision Over IPFW

FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The Ball State women's tennis team won its eighth consecutive match by defeating IPFW, 5-2, Saturday afternoon in Fort Wayne, Ind.  The Cardinals improve to 10-2 on the season while the Mastodons fall to 14-7.

Ball State's 10-2 start marks the best non-conference start for the program in over a decade under the direction of second year Ball State head women's tennis coach Max Norris.

The Cardinals began the match by winning the doubles point versus the Mastodons, claiming wins on courts one and two.  Courtney Wild and doubles partner Bethany Moore took the first match for the Cardinals after posting a 6-4 victory over Carlota Trevino and Kristine Linda at the No. 2 position.  The No. 1 twosome of Rosalinda Calderon and Courtney Earnest clinched the doubles point for Ball State after taking down Mayu Sato and Marcy Huck, 7-6 (4).

"We got off to a slow start in doubles,  after the first couple games we re-focused and held our ground," Ball State women's tennis player junior Courtney Earnest said.  "We didn't have to do anything special, but we didn't give them anything free and in the tie breaker we just made more balls and ended up getting the win for the team."

Ball State carried its momentum into single play, where they took four of the six singles matches from IPFW.  Earnest won her fourth straight match with her 6-4, 6-0 defeat over Carlota Trevino on court two.  Toni Ormond won in straight sets 6-2, 6-3 against Sofia Sorokina at the No. 4 singles position.  Moore beat Huck on court six in a three set thriller, 7-6 (4), 4-6, 10-8.  At No. 5 singles, Calderon clinched the match point for the Cardinals after her 6-4, 7-5 victory over Sara Sherif.


Bowling Green:

Women's Tennis Drops 6-1 Decision To Western Michigan

Bowling Green State University tennis freshman Megan Miller trailed in both of her sets Sunday (March 22), but rallied to win both of those sets en route to a victory at the number-one singles flight. Visiting Western Michigan University came away with a 6-1 win in Mid-American Conference dual-match action at the Perrysburg Tennis Center.

Miller fell behind early in her first set against the Broncos' Meika Ashby, but, down by a 2-1 score, the BG freshman rallied to win the next three games. Ashby got within a game, but the Sylvania native captured the next two games for a 6-3 win.

In the second set, Ashby took a 5-4 lead, and was just one game away from evening the match and forcing a 10-point tiebreaker to decide the winner. But, Miller responded by winning three-straight games to close out the victory.

"Megan's opponent is a very good player, and Meg really stepped up today," said BGSU head coach Olga Elkin. "She had a lot of energy, she was hustling, she was working and she was fighting for every ball. Megan got down in the second set, but never gave up. She came back and did a fantastic job to get the win."

WMU, however, won at each of the other five flights. After taking the doubles point, the Broncos got wins from Yuriko Ono at the fifth flight and Labina Petrovska at the sixth. When Barbare Eristavi won at the third flight, Western had the four points needed for victory.

The fourth flight saw BG sophomore Brittany Plaszewski face WMU's Tracy Kuhle. Kuhle took a 4-1 lead in the opening set, before Plaszewski closed to within a 4-3 score. But, the Bronco sophomore captured the next two games to win the set.

In the second set, Plaszewski took early leads of 1-0 and 2-1, but Kuhle rallied for a 3-2 lead, and did not fall behind again, en route to another 6-3 win.

Western's Olivia Myers topped sophomore Harley Hutchison by scores of 6-3 and 6-2 at the second flight. Myers took an early 3-0 lead, saw Hutchison win two-straight games, then surged out to a 5-2 advantage before winning the first set. In the second set, Hutchison was within a 2-1 score before Myers took the next three games to gain control.

Doubles play had seen Kuhle and Myers post a win at the second flight, with Eristavi and Ono downing Plaszewski and freshman Sydney Seeley at the third. The number-one flight saw Ashby and Caroline Aleck battle Miller and Hutchison. The BG tandem took a quick 1-0 lead before Aleck and Ashby won three consecutive games. The Miller/Hutchison duo closed to within a game, but the Broncos responded by taking a 4-2 lead just before the match was halted due to WMU winning at the other two flights.

"We started off better today in doubles than we did (on Friday against Northern Illinois), but we still didn't have enough energy," said Elkin. "Western came out with a lot of energy, and we talked about that after doubles play. Our girls came out fighting and ready to go in singles, and I was proud of the way they came out."

BGSU's lineup on Sunday, in both singles and doubles, included only two returning players from a year ago, and just one of those two (Hutchison) was a regular in the Falcons' lineup last spring. The other four players in the lineup are all first-year Falcons, including a pair who joined the team in January.

"We are becoming much more competitive in spots in the lineup where we weren't very competitive at the start of the year," said Elkin. "We have players who are playing much higher in the lineup than they normally would be. They are working very hard and becoming more competitive in those matches, which is great to see, and great for the future."

The Falcons now prepare for a two-match road swing to end the month of March. BGSU will face Akron on Friday (March 27), before venturing to Buffalo two days later. BG's next home match is Saturday, April 3, against Toledo.

WESTERN MICHIGAN 6, BGSU 1
Sunday, March 22, 2015 – Perrysburg Tennis Center – Perrysburg, Ohio
SINGLES
1 – Megan Miller (BGSU) def. Meika Ashby 6-3, 7-5
2 – Olivia Myers (WMU) def. Harley Hutchison 6-3, 6-2
3 – Barbare Eristavi (WMU) def. Emily Witt 6-1, 6-1
4 – Tracy Kuhle (WMU) def. Brittany Plaszewski 6-3, 6-3
5 – Yuriko Ono (WMU) def. Antonina Farrar 6-0, 6-0
6 – Labina Petrovska (WMU) def. Sydney Seeley 6-0, 6-1

DOUBLES
1 – Ashby/Caroline Aleck (WMU) vs. Hutchison/Miller (BGSU) 4-2, DNF
2 – Kuhle/Myers (WMU) def. Farrar/Witt 6-0
3 – Eristavi/Ono (WMU) def. Plaszewski/Seeley 6-2

ORDER OF FINISH
Doubles – 2,3
Singles – 5,6,3,4,2,1


Falcons Fall To NIU, 4-3

Northern Illinois University won the doubles point against the Bowling Green State University tennis team Friday afternoon (March 20), and that point proved to be crucial as the teams split their six singles matches. The Huskies downed the Falcons, 4-3, in the Mid-American Conference opener for both teams at Keefe Courts on the BGSU campus.

The Falcons got singles wins from sophomores Harley Hutchison and Brittany Plaszewski and freshman Emily Witt. For Plaszewski and Witt, it marked their first career victories in MAC play.

"We played very well in singles today," said BGSU head coach Olga Elkin. "But, our slow start in doubles cost us.

"I'm very big on the things that we can control. When you are playing in any sporting event, there are a lot of things you can't control. We can't control the wind, and we can't control what our opponent is doing. But, we can control our energy, our attitude, our footwork, and those are things that I am very big on. We started off very slow in doubles today, and we can't afford to do that."

Northern (10-3, 1-0 MAC) got wins at the bottom two doubles flights to take the initial point of the match. NIU's Arantza De La Torre and Mary Malkin, both seniors, defeated Plaszewski and freshman Sydney Seeley at the third flight, while the Huskies' Evelyn Youel and Jennifer Gates got past Witt and sophomore Antonina Farrar at the second. The NIU second-flight duo led from the outset in a back-and-forth match, and pulled away by winning the last two games for a 6-3 victory.

At the top flight, NIU's Nelle Youel and Cristina Alvarez, who entered the day with a perfect 10-0 record this spring, dropped their first game against Hutchison and freshman Megan Miller. The Huskie tandem won the next four games, then forged ahead by a 5-2 count. Hutchison and Miller, however, won the next game, then took an early lead in the following game before the match was halted with NIU leading by that 5-3 score.

In singles play, the Huskies got a pair of wins at the bottom two flights, with Abigail Dekkinga defeating Seeley at the sixth flight and Gates downing Farrar at the fifth. Nelle Youel, undefeated in singles as well as doubles play this spring, defeated Miller at flight number one, witih a 6-3 win in the first set and a 6-2 triumph in the second.

The last three matches to finish, however, all went the Falcons' way. Hutchison battled Alvarez through a pair of tight sets at the second flight, but the BG sophomore was in control from the outset. She moved in front by a 5-3 count in the opening set, saw Alvarez close to within a game, then clinched the first set by a 6-4 final.

In the second set, Hutchison and Alvarez traded games early on, but leading by a 4-3 score, Hutchison captured the next two games for a 6-3 win and a straight-sets victory.

"I tried to be more consistent and do the things we've been working on in practice, and it worked out in my favor during singles," said Hutchison. "We are constantly doing various drills in practice where we work on attacking and similar things, and those drills are starting to pay off."

"Harley was great today," said Elkin. "Her attitude was really good, she played smart and she made a lot of shots. That was a very solid win for her."

Both Plaszewski, at the fourth flight, and Witt, at the third, split their two sets and went to 10-point tiebreakers. Plaszewski and De La Torre battled through a nip-and-tuck first set. After winning the first game, Plaszewski dropped the next two. Trailing by a 3-2 count, the BG soph won two-straight games to move in front, 4-3. But, with Plaszewski up by a 5-4 score, De La Torre reeled off three consecutive games to take the opening set by a 7-5 result.

In the second set, Plaszewski and De La Torre battled back and forth, with Plaszewski taking leads of 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2. De La Torre repeatedly battled back, and tied the score at 4-4. But, Plaszewski took the next game, then won a second-straight game for a 6-4 victory that forced a 10-point tiebreaker in lieu of a first set.

Meanwhile, Witt exploded for a 5-0 lead against Malkin in their opening set, then saw the NIU senior rally nearly all the way back. Malkin won four-straight games before the BG freshman closed out a 6-4 win.

In the second set, it was Malkin taking an early lead by winning the first three sets. Back came Witt, winning three consecutive games to tie the set at 3-3. Malkin took the lead once again, but Witt rallied to make it a 4-4 deadlock. But, Malkin was able to capture the next two games to take a 6-4 second set.

As Witt's second set was wrapping up, Plaszewski's tiebreaker was underway. Plaszewski took an early 2-0 lead, before De La Torre reeled off three-straight points. Back came Plaszewski, taking two points for a 4-3 lead, but De La Torre then proceeded to win four consecutive points to seemingly take control with a 7-4 lead.

Plaszewski, however, won the next five points to go back in front, 9-7. De La Torre briefly staved off the loss, winning the next point, but back came Brittany, as the BG soph took the following point for a 10-8 victory.

Plaszewski's tiebreaker ended, and Witt and Malkin were early in their 'breaker. Things were tight in the early going, before Witt seized control in a big way. The Falcon freshman won seven consecutive points to down Malkin by a 10-4 result.

"Emily and Brittany really battled for their wins," said Elkin. "Emily is a girl who loves to work. She works really hard and she will fight for every point. We saw that going into the tiebreaker today. Brittany put some shots too close to the lines (in her first set), and that's when you miss. She did a good job of picking it up in the second set and in the 'breaker.

"We haven't had many practices outside, and the girls did a good job of adjusting. It is fun to play outside, and it is great to play on campus. However, we need to maintain our energy throughout the entire match. We can't afford to come out slow."

"We had our chances today, and whether we play indoors or outdoors on Sunday, we need to work on controlling the things we can control. We have to stay consistent, and we have to stay focused."

The Falcons return to action on Sunday (March 22), taking on Western Michigan University in a 1:00 p.m. start. The match is scheduled to be played at Keefe Courts, but in the event of inclement weather, would be moved to the Perrysburg Tennis Center.

NORTHERN ILLINOIS 4, BGSU 3
Friday, March 20, 2015 – Keefe Courts – Bowling Green, Ohio
SINGLES
1 – Nelle Youel (NIU) def. Megan Miller 6-3, 6-2
2 – Harley Hutchison (BGSU) def. Cristina Alvarez 6-4, 6-3
3 – Emily Witt (BGSU) def. Mary Malkin 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (10-4)
4 – Brittany Plaszewski (BGSU) def. Arantza De La Torre 5-7, 6-4, 1-0 (10-8)
5 – Jennifer Gates (NIU) def. Antonina Farrar 6-2, 6-1
6 – Abigail Dekkinga (NIU) def. Sydney Seeley 6-0, 6-0

DOUBLES
1 – N. Youel/Alvarez (NIU) vs. Hutchison/Miller (BGSU) 5-3, DNF
2 – Gates/Evelyn Youel (NIU) def. Farrar/Witt 6-3
3 – De La Torre/Malkin (NIU) def. Plaszewski/Seeley 6-0

ORDER OF FINISH
Doubles – 3,2
Singles – 6,5,1,2,4,3


Buffalo:

Women's Tennis Tops Eastern Michigan, 5-2

BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo, State University of New York women's tennis team secured a key 5-2 Mid-American Conference victory over Eastern Michigan Sunday at Miller Tennis Center.

The Bulls (5-7, 1-1 MAC) opened the match claiming the doubles point. UB won at second and third doubles and retired the first doubles match before taking four of the singles matches from the Eagles (5-10, 1-1 MAC).

Senior Laura Fernandez and sophomore Laura Holterbosch won the day's first match defeating the Eagles 6-2 at second doubles. Freshmen Christine Haraldson and Tanja Stojanovska won the third doubles match in 6-3 fashion to suspend the top match in the Bulls' favor, 5-4.

Stojanovska won at second singles, 6-1, 6-2, defeating Ani Gogvadze, while Fernandez blanked Daphne Friedrichs, 6-2, 6-3, at the third spot. Holterbosch was victorious at fifth singles defeating Maria Paula Ribero, 6-4, 6-3. Haraldson picked up a win at the sixth position with a 6-4, 6-2 showing against Alejandra Barcelo Almoyna.

The Bulls will next host Miami (OH) at 1 pm Friday.

DOUBLES
No. 1: Kotok/Agasieva (UB) vs. Supejova/Martinovska (EMU), DNF 5-4
No. 2: Holterbosch/Fernandez (UB) def. Gogvadze/Ribero (EMU), 6-2
No. 3: Stojanovska/Haraldson (UB) def. Friedrichs/Barcelo Almoyna (EMU), 6-3

SINGLES
No. 1: Klara Supejova (EMU) def. Margarita Kotok (UB), 6-2, 6-1
No. 2: Tanja Stojanovska (UB) def. Ani Gogvadze (EMU), 6-1, 6-2
No. 3: Laura Fernandez (UB) def. Daphne Friedrichs (EMU), 6-2, 6-3
No. 4: Andrea Martinovska (EMU) def. Dayana Agasieva (UB), 7-5, 4-6 (10-7)
No. 5: Laura Holterbosch (UB) def. Maria Paula Ribero (EMU), 6-4, 6-3
No. 6: Christine Haraldson (UB) def. Alejandra Barcelo Almoyna (EMU), 6-4, 6-2


Bulls Fall To Toledo, 5-2

TOLEDO, OH – The University at Buffalo, State University of New York women's tennis team played its Mid-American Conference opener Friday at Toledo. The Rockets (10-5, 1-0 MAC), who have won four of their last five, picked up a 5-2 victory over the Bulls (4-7, 0-1 MAC).

UB narrowly dropped the doubles point before picking up a pair of singles victories. Sophomore Margarita Kotok and junior Dayana Agasieva defeated the Rockets' top doubles pair, 6-3. Freshmen Tanja Stojanovska and Christine Haraldson put up a fight at third doubles, but were edged, 7-6.

Stojanovska won her second singles match over Lexy Pitt, defeating the Rocket 7-6, 6-2 and sophomore Laura Holterbosch posted a 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 fifth singles victory over Mackenzie Bowman. Kotok went three at first singles, as did senior Laura Fernandez at the four spot, both suffering setbacks to Toledo.

UB will host Eastern Michigan Sunday at 1 pm.

DOUBLES
No. 1. Kotok/Agasieva (UB) def. Rygh/Thai (TOL), 6-3
No. 2. Mazzola/Pitt (TOL) def. Fernandez/Holterbosch (UB), 6-0
No. 3. Huck/ Bowman (TOL) def. Stojanovska/Haraldson (UB), 7-6

SINGLES
No. 1: Pia Rygh (TOL) def. Margarita Kotok (UB), 6-7, 6-4, 6-2
No. 2: Tanja Stojanovska (UB) def. Lexy Pitt (TOL), 7-6, 6-2
No. 3: Sidnay Huck (TOL) def. Dayana Agasieva (UB), 6-3, 6-2
No. 4: Lauren Thai (TOL) def. Laura Fernandez (UB), 7-5, 4-6, 6-4
No. 5: Laura Holterbosch (UB) def. Mackenzie Bowman (TOL), 7-5, 4-6, 6-3
No. 6: Emily Mazzola (TOL) def. Christine Haraldson (UB), 6-4, 6-4


Eastern Michigan:

Women's Tennis Splits Weekend With 5-2 Loss To Buffalo

BUFFALO, N.Y. (EMUEagles.com) -- Eastern Michigan University's women's tennis team dropped a 5-2 decision to the University at Buffalo in a Mid-American Conference dual match Sunday, March 22. The Eagles fell to 5-10, 1-1 MAC with the loss, while the Bulls improved to 5-7 after picking up their first MAC win of the 2015 campaign.

Doubles play began with a pair of 6-3 decisions in favor of Buffalo as Ani Gogvadze and Maria Paula Ribero dropped their No. 2 doubles match, while Daphne Friedrichs and Alejandra Barcelo Almoyna fell in the No. 3 spot. Andrea Martinovska and Klara Supejova were trailing 5-4 at the No. 1 position before it was called due to the doubles point being decided after the first two matches.

In singles, the Eagles only saw a pair of victories, coming by way of their No. 1 doubles team. Supejova cruised to a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Margarita Kotok at the No. 1 singles position, while Martinovska used a three-set decision, 6-4, 4-6, 1-0, to defeat Dayana Agasieva at No. 4 singles. In the other four matches, Eastern was unable to take their opponent to three sets, dropping four two-set matches.

"We got outplayed by a team that played more confident and aggressive than us today," stated Head Coach Ryan Ray. "It's a disappointing loss, and we need to get back to work and fix a number of things for next weekend."

The Eagles return to the court Sunday, March 29, when they host Western Michigan University. Eastern will take on the Broncos at 1 p.m. at the Chippewa Club.

Doubles
1.  Agasieva/Kotok (UB) led Supejova/Martinovska 5-4
2.  Fernandez/Holterbosch (UB) def. Gogvadze/Ribero 6-3
3.  Stojanovska/Haraldson (UB) def. Friedrichs/Barcelo 6-3

Singles
1.  Klara Supejova def. Margarita Kotok (UB) 6-2,6-1
2.  Tanja Stojanovska (UB) def. Ani Gogvadze 6-1,6-2
3.  Laura Fernandez (UB) def. Daphne Friedrichs 6-2,6-3
4.  Andrea Martinovska def. Dayana Agasieva (UB) 6-4,4-6,1-0(7)
5.  Laura Holterbosch (UB) def. Maria Paula Ribero 6-4,6-2
6.  Caroline Haraldson (UB) def. Alejandra Barcelo 6-4,6-2


Eagles Top Akron, 4-3

AKRON, Ohio -- The Eastern Michigan University women's tennis team began Mid-American Conference play with a 4-3 victory over the University of Akron Friday afternoon, March 20, at the La Touche Tennis Center in Akron, Ohio. The Eagles advanced to 5-9 on the season with a 1-0 MAC record, while the Zips fell to 7-7 to go along with an 0-1 MAC tally.

The Eagles began the dual by taking the top-two doubles matches as Klara Supejova and Andrea Martinovska dispatched Martina Zerbola and Sophia Geier easily, 6-2, while Ani Gogvadze and Maria Paula Ribero came away from the No. 2 match with a 6-1 victory. Daphne Friedrichs and Alejandra Barcelo Almoyna held a 4-3 lead when their No. 3 doubles match was suspended, due to EMU already grabbing the doubles point.

Eastern survived singles play as Supejova defeated UA's Karolina Maksimova, 6-3, 6-, while Gogvadze needed a third set to take down Zerbola, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4. Although Friedrichs, Renu Sharma and Ribero each dropped their singles contests, Martinovska was able to step away from the court with a two set win over Akron's Madison Cohen in the No. 4 singles spot, 6-0, 7-5, to seal the victory to open the conference slate.

"We survived today," remarked Head Coach Ryan Ray. "Our singles performance was very lackluster, but Ani stepped up big in the end to win it for us. Our doubles is definitely a strength, and was a big point in winning today. We will look to improve against Buffalo Sunday."

EMU stays on the road Sunday, March 22, when they travel to the University at Buffalo for its second MAC dual match of the season. First serve is slated for 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon at the UB Tennis Center.

Doubles
1.  Supejova/Martinovska def. Zerbola/Geier (Akron) 6-2
2.  Gogvadze/Ribero def. Cohen/Newnes (Akron) 6-1
3.  Friedrichs/Barcelo led Blinova/Maksimova (Akron) 4-3, suspended

Singles
1.  Klara Supejova def. Karolina Maksimova (Akron) 6-3, 6-0
2.  Ani Gogvadze def. Martina Zerbola (Akron) 6-7, 6-4, 6-4
3.  Ariadna Blinova (Akron) def. Daphne Friedrichs 6-3, 6-3
4.  Andrea Martinovska def. Madison Cohen (Akron) 6-0, 7-5
5.  Sophia Geier (Akron) def. Maria Paula Ribero 6-1, 6-1
6.  Shannon Newnes (Akron) def. Renu Sharma 6-2, 6-1


Miami:

RedHawks Earn 6-1 Win Over Huskies

OXFORD, Ohio – Miami University’s women’s tennis team continued its strong start to the Mid-American Conference season with a 6-1 victory over the Northern Illinois Huskies Sunday afternoon at the Hepburn Varsity Tennis Courts. The result marked the sixth victory in the last seven matches for the RedHawks (8-6, 2-0 MAC) and their 30th all-time win against the Huskies (10-4, 1-1 MAC).

In doubles, Miami quickly wrapped up the opening point with two victories that came in only 25 minutes. Senior Alix Thurman and freshman Hannah Shteyn defeated Jennifer Gates, 6-2, in second flight. Senior Ramona Costea and sophomore Andreea Badileanu were victorious for the eight consecutive match with a 6-2 decision that clinched the point. The first flight match featuring senior Christine Guerrazzi and freshman Nelli Ponomareva was abandoned at 5-2.

Shteyn won her second match of the weekend with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Gates in fifth flight. MAC Singles Player of the Week Badileanu earned her ninth consecutive victory, defeating Cristina Alvarez, 6-2, 6-2, in second flight. In fourth flight, Ponomareva fought off a challenge from Arantza De La Torre to take her match 6-1, 7-5. Guerrazzi also face tough competition from Mary Malkin, but came back in the second set to win 6-2, 7-6 (5) in third flight. In the final match of the day, freshman Erin Rodriguez took home her third regular season victory with a 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 decision against Abigail Dekkinga. The lone Huskies victory of the day came in first flight as Nelle Youel defeated Thurman, 6-2, 6-3, to remain undefeated in the regular season.

The RedHawks will now head on the road for a pair of MAC contests against Buffalo and Akron. They will face the Bulls on Friday, March 27 at 1 p.m. and then the Zips on Sunday, March 29 at 1 p.m. Check MURedHawks.com for recaps of both matches.

SINGLES
1.    Nelle Youel (NIU) def. Alix Thurman (MU), 6-2, 6-3
2.    Andreea Badileanu (MU) def. Cristina Alvarez (NIU), 6-2, 6-2
3.    Christine Guerrazzi (MU) def. Mary Malkin (NIU), 6-2, 7-6 (5)
4.    Nelli Ponomareva (MU) def. Arantza De La Torre (NIU), 6-1, 7-5
5.    Hannah Shteyn (MU) def. Jennifer Gates (NIU), 6-2, 6-1
6.    Erin Rodriguez (MU) def. Abigail Dekkinga (NIU), 2-6, 6-2, 6-2
Order of finish: 5, 2, 1, 4, 3, 6

DOUBLES
1.    Christine Guerrazzi/Nelli Ponomareva (MU) vs. Cristina Alvarez/Nelle Youel (NIU), 5-2 (unfinished)
2.    Hannah Shteyn/Alix Thurman (MU) def. Jennifer Gates/Evelyn Youel (NIU), 6-2
3.    Andreea Badileanu/Ramona Costea (MU) def. Arantza De La Torre/Mary Malkin (NIU), 6-2
Order of finish: 2, 3


Women's Tennis Sweeps Broncos

OXFORD, Ohio – Miami University’s women’s tennis started its Mid-American Conference season with an impressive 7-0 victory over the Western Michigan Broncos Friday afternoon at the Hepburn Varsity Tennis Courts. The win was the sixth for the RedHawks (7-6) in their last eight matches and it marked their eleventh consecutive victory in their MAC opener.

The doubles portion started with Miami quickly earning two victories over the Broncos (8-8) that ended almost simultaneously. Senior Alix Thurman and freshman Hannah Shteyn defeated Barbare Eristavi and Yuriko Ono, 6-4, in second flight. Another senior and freshman pair, Christine Guerrazzi and Nelli Ponomareva, picked up a strong victory over the 52nd-ranked pair of Caroline Aleck and Meika Ashby in a 6-2 decision in first flight. Due to the clinching of the doubles point, the match featuring the two-time MAC Doubles Team of the Week, senior Ramona Costea and sophomore Andreea Badileanu, was declared unfinished with a 5-5 score. As a result, their streak of seven consecutive victories remains intact before Sunday’s match against Northern Illinois.

MAC Singles Player of the Week Badileanu won her eighth straight match with a 6-2, 6-2 result over Olivia Myers in second flight. Junior Ana Rajkovic grabbed a decisive sixth flight victory over Labina Petrovska, 6-2, 6-1. Thurman won her fifth first flight match of the season with a 6-2, 6-3 decision against Ashby and clinched the Miami victory. In fifth flight, Shteyn had little trouble with Aleck, taking the match, 6-3, 6-1.

The final Miami victories of the day came in dramatic fashion with two successful third set tiebreakers. Guerrazzi came back from a 4-1 deficit in the tiebreaker to win 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 (10-6) over Tracy Kuhle in third flight. Finally, Ponomareva overcame a first set loss to win her fourth flight match in a 2-6, 7-6 (1), 1-0 (10-6) result against Barbare Eristavi.

The RedHawks will next take the court on Sunday, March 22 against the Northern Illinois Huskies (10-3) at 1:00 p.m. at the Hepburn Varsity Tennis Courts. The Huskies were also victorious in their MAC opener, defeating Bowling Green, 4-3, on Friday afternoon. Check MURedHawks.com for live stats and a recap of the match.

SINGLES
1.    Alix Thurman (MU) def. Meika Ashby (WMU), 6-2, 6-3
2.    Andreea Badileanu (MU) def. Olivia Myers (WMU), 6-2, 6-2
3.    Christine Guerrazzi (MU) def. Tracy Kuhle  (WMU), 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 (10-6)
4.    Nelli Ponomareva (MU) def. Barbare Eristavi (WMU), 2-6, 7-6 (1), 1-0 (10-6)
5.    Hannah Shteyn (MU) def. Caroline Aleck (WMU), 6-3, 6-1
6.    Ana Rajkovic (MU) def. Labina Petrovska (WMU), 6-2, 6-1
Order of finish: 6, 2, 1, 5, 3, 4

DOUBLES
1.    Christine Guerrazzi/Nelli Ponomareva (MU) def. Carolina Aleck/Meika Ashby (WMU), 6-2
2.    Hannah Shteyn/Alix Thurman (MU) def. Barbare Eristavi/Yuriko Ono (WMU), 6-4
3.    Andreea Badileanu/Ramona Costea (MU) vs. Tracy Kuhle/Olivia Myers (WMU), 5-5 (unfinished)
Order of finish: 2, 1


Northern Illinois:

NIU Drops Decision To Miami

OXFORD, Ohio - The Northern Illinois University women's tennis team dropped a 6-1 decision to Miami in a Mid-American Conference match, but Huskie senior Nelle Youel maintained her undefeated record in 2015 on Sunday afternoon at the Hepburn Tennis Courts in Oxford, Ohio.

Youel (Crystal Lake, Ill./Crystal Lake Central) improved her perfect singles record this spring to 14-0 with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over RedHawks' top player Alix Thurman in the No. 1 singles match. The NIU senior's No. 1 doubles match with partner Cristina Alvarez (Zaragoza, Spain/Cristorey Sagrado Corazon de Jesus) went unfinished after Miami clinched the doubles point with victories in the other two matches, meaning Youel is now 24-0 overall this spring - two wins away from equalling her career-best 26-0 start during the 2013 campaign.

The Huskies (11-4, 1-1 MAC) were unable to earn any other points from the RedHawks besides Youel's singles victory, despite Abigail Dekkinga (Allegan, Mich./Allegan) winning the first set in her No. 6 singles match and severalHuskies comingcloseto winning sets in other contests.

NIU head coach Tanya Gombera wasn't discouraged with the loss, knowing the matchup with the six-time defending MAC women's tennis champions RedHawks (8-6, 2-0 MAC) was always going to be a tough one.

"I thought the team competed very hard today against Miami," Gombera said. "We were in a lot of matches and had opportunities to be successful, and we are already looking forward to playing at home next weekend against Toledo."

The Huskies will host a match for the first time in over a month when they welcome the Rockets to the Boylan Tennis Center in Rockford, Ill. on Friday, March 27 for a MAC matchup.

Miami 6, NIU 1

Doubles
No. 1:N. Youel and Alvarez (NIU) unf. vs. Guerrazzi and Ponomareva (MU)
No. 2:Shteyn and Thurman (MU) def. Gates and E. Youel (NIU), 6-2
No. 3:Badileanu and Costea (MU) def. De La Torre and Malkin (NIU), 6-2

Singles
No. 1:N. Youel (NIU) def. Thurman (MU), 6-2, 6-3
No. 2:Badileanu (MU) def. Alvarez (NIU), 6-2, 6-2
No. 3:Guerazzi (MU) def. Malkin (NIU), 6-2, 7-6 (5)
No. 4:Ponomareva (MU) def. De La Torre (NIU), 6-1, 7-5
No. 5:Shteyn (MU) def. Gates (NIU), 6-2, 6-1
No. 6:Rodriguez (MU) def. Dekkinga (NIU), 2-6, 6-2, 6-2


Huskies Prevail Against Bowling Green, 4-3

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Northern Illinois University women's tennis team defeated Bowling Green for the first time since 2004, winning its Mid-American Conference opener on Friday by a score of 4-3 at the Keefe Courts in Bowling Green, Ohio.

The Huskies (10-3, 1-0 MAC) were victorious in their conference opener for the first time since 2009 and continued an impressive and historic 2015 spring campaign under first-year head coach Tanya Gombera, who was thrilled with the decisive contributions of her freshmen on Friday.

"Today wasn't even one of our best performances, but we were able to pull out a victory against Bowling Green. I am so proud of our freshmen, as they were able to pull out victories at key spots in the lineup to help us earn the team win," Gombera said.

Senior Nelle Youel (Crystal Lake, Ill./Crystal Lake Central) led the way and improvedto 23-0 this spring overall with her 13th consecutive No. 1 singles victory in a straight-set triumph over the Falcons' top player Megan Miller.

But it was the singles victories by freshmen Jennifer Gates (Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett) and Abigail Dekkinga (Allegan, Mich./Allegan) and the doubles victory by the rookie tandem of Gates and Evelyn Youel (Crystal Lake, Ill./Crystal Lake Central) that lifted the Huskies to the four team points neccessary to earn the team win.

NIU also improved to 3-1 in matches decided by one point this season.

The Huskies will hope to add another MAC win on Sunday when they face Miami (7-6, 1-0 MAC), who defeated Western Michigan on Friday in its MAC opener, at the Hepburn Tennis Courts in Oxford, Ohio. The match will start at 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT.

"We are looking forward to playing Miami on Sunday," Coach Gombera added. "We will continue to work on the things that we need to improve on."

NIU 4, Bowling Green 3

Doubles
No. 1: N. Youel/Alvarez (NIU) unf. vs. Hutchison/Miller (BGSU), 5-3
No. 2: E. Youel/Gates (NIU) def. Farrar/Witt (BGSU), 6-3
No. 3:De La Torre/Malkin (NIU) def. Plaszewski/Seeley (BGSU), 6-0

Singles
No. 1:N. Youel (NIU) def. Miller (BGSU), 6-3, 6-2
No. 2:Hutchison (BGSU) def. Alvarez (NIU), 6-4, 6-3
No. 3:Witt (BGSU) def. Malkin (NIU), 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (10-4)
No. 4:Plaszewski (BGSU) def. De La Torre (NIU), 5-7, 6-4, 1-0 (10-8)
No. 5:Gates (NIU) def. Farrar (BGSU), 6-2, 6-1
No. 6:Dekkinga (NIU) def. Seeley (BGSU), 6-0, 6-0


Toledo:

Rockets Improve To 2-0 In MAC Play With 4-3 Win Over Akron

TOLEDO, OH - The Toledo women's tennis team improved to 11-5 on the year and 2-0 in the Mid-American Conference, with a tough 4-3 victory over Akron on Sunday at Shadow Valley Tennis Club.

"This win continued to show how deep this team is," head coach Tracy Mauntler said. "Different players step up when they are needed and the confidence of the group as a whole is very high. I was especially impressed by Sidnay, our only freshman, as she went 4-0 during her first MAC weekend."

The Rockets won the doubles point once again, the sixth straight match they did so, and the 15th time in their 16 matches this season.

UT is a combined 33-10 in doubles matchups on the year, as it won two of three doubles matchups on Sunday.

Senior Pia Rygh and sophomore Lauren Thai earned a 6-3 victory vs. the Zips at No. 1 doubles, while junior Mackenzie Bowman and freshman Sidnay Huck won their 10th match of the year as a doubles team and sixth straight, with a 6-2 win at the No. 3 spot.

In singles play, Toledo scored points at Nos. 1-3 to eke out the 4-3 team victory.

Rygh and fellow senior Lexy Pitt recorded wins at the top two doubles spots, while Huck tallied her second-consecutive win at the No. 3 singles spot.

The Rockets are back in action next weekend with two league matches. UT hits the road to take on Northern Illinois on Sunday, March 27, then will host Ball State in the Glass City on Sunday, March 29.


Rockets Drop Buffalo in MAC Opener

TOLEDO, OH - The Toledo women’s tennis team (10-5, 1-0 MAC) started out its Mid-American Conference season on a high note, defeating Buffalo, 5-2 on Friday afternoon at Shadow Valley Tennis Club.  The Bulls knocked the Rockets out of last year’s MAC Championships.

“This was a gritty win to start conference play,” head coach Tracy Mauntler said. “I felt contributions from everywhere in the lineup today.”

Toledo once again took the double point, winning two of three doubles matchups. Senior Lexy Pitt and junior Emily Mazzola recorded a dominating 6-0 win at No. 2 doubles, while junior Mackenzie Bowman and freshman Sidnay Huck contributed a hard-fought 7-6 victory in a tiebreak at the No. 3 spot.

UT has now won the doubles spot in 14 of 15 matches this season.

In singles play, the Rockets were able to win four of the six matches to claim the first conference win of the season for the Midnight Blue & Gold.

At the top singles spot, Rygh fought back after losing the first set to claim a 6-7, 6-4, 6-2 victory, while Huck and Mazzola won in straight sets at Nos. 3 and 6 singles, respectively.

Bowman rounded out the singles victories, with a three-set 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 win at the No. 4 spot to help give Toledo the victory.

The Rockets continue conference play on Sunday when they welcome Akron to the Glass City. The match is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m.


Western Michigan:

Women's Tennis Wins 6-1 Over Bowling Green

PERRYSBURG, Ohio – The Western Michigan women’s tennis team picked up its first Mid-American Conference win of the season in dominant fashion, cruising past the Bowling Green State Falcons for a 6-1 victory at the Perrysburg Tennis Center on Sunday. With the win, the Broncos improve to 9-7 overall on the season and 1-1 against MAC opponents.
The Broncos were firmly in control of the match from the very beginning, claiming the first two doubles matches on the court to take the point and winning the first five singles matches to put any question of the result out of the picture. Four players went a perfect 2-0 on the day, with Olivia Myers, Barbare Eristavi, Tracy Kuhle, and Yuriko Ono all winning both their respective doubles and singles matches.

Kuhle and Myers teamed up in the No. 2 doubles match to strike the first blow against the Falcons, blanking Antonina Farrar and Emily Witt by a 6-0 score to take the lead in the doubles session. Eristavi and Ono followed up with their team-leading sixth dual match doubles win of the season, beating Brittany Plaszewski and Sydney Seeley 6-2 in the No. 3 match to sweep the doubles session and give WMU the immediate 1-0 advantage.

Ono shut out Farrar in the No. 5 singles match to open the singles session, winning 6-0, 6-0 to put the Broncos ahead 2-0 in the team match. Labina Petrovska followed immediately after with a nearly identical score, winning 6-0, 6-1 over Seeley to make it a 3-0 advantage. Eristavi provided the clincher in the No. 3 singles match, blowing past Witt by a 6-1, 6-1 score to guarantee the Bronco win. Myers improved to 11-4 in dual match singles play with a straight-sets win over Harley Hutchison at No. 2, and Kuhle picked up her team-leading 12th dual match singles win of the season with a 6-3, 6-3 decision over Plaszewski in the No. 4 singles match.

WESTERN MICHIGAN 6, BGSU 1

SINGLES
1 – Megan Miller (BGSU) def. Meika Ashby 6-3, 7-5
2 – Olivia Myers (WMU) def. Harley Hutchison 6-3, 6-2
3 – Barbare Eristavi (WMU) def. Emily Witt 6-1, 6-1
4 – Tracy Kuhle (WMU) def. Brittany Plaszewski 6-3, 6-3
5 – Yuriko Ono (WMU) def. Antonina Farrar 6-0, 6-0
6 – Labina Petrovska (WMU) def. Sydney Seeley 6-0, 6-1

DOUBLES
1 – Ashby/Caroline Aleck (WMU) vs. Hutchison/Miller (BGSU) 4-2, DNF
2 – Kuhle/Myers (WMU) def. Farrar/Witt 6-0
3 – Eristavi/Ono (WMU) def. Plaszewski/Seeley 6-2

ORDER OF FINISH
Doubles – 2,3
Singles – 5,6,3,4,2,1


Broncos Swept By Miami

OXFORD, Ohio – The Western Michigan women’s tennis team challenged the preseason Mid-American Conference favorite on the road but was unable to break through on the courts, falling 7-0 to the Miami RedHawks in Oxford in the 2015 MAC opener. With the loss, the Broncos fall to 8-7 overall on the season, 0-1 in conference action.

There were several opportunities for the Broncos to cut into the RedHawks’ advantage over the course of the match, but each time Miami repulsed their advances and picked up points. Tracy Kuhle, who entered the match with a streak of three straight wins in singles, came back from a set down against Christine Guerrazzi in the No. 3 singles match but ultimately fell 10-6 in the third-set match tiebreaker. Barbare Eristavi very nearly defeated Nelli Ponomareva in the No. 4 singles match by taking the first set 6-2. The second set proved to be much closer, however, with Ponomareva overcoming Eristavi 7-1 in a second-set tiebreaker to force a third set. Ponomareva won 10-6 in the match tiebreaker to clinch the win over Eristavi and complete the 7-0 win.

Miami opened the proceedings on Friday with a doubles session sweep, starting with a 6-4 decision in the No. 2 doubles match against Eristavi and Yuriko Ono and completing it with a 6-2 win over 52nd-ranked Caroline Aleck and Meika Ashby in the No. 1 spot. Ana Rajkovic made it 2-0 with a win over Labina Petrovska in the No. 6 singles spot, and Andreea Badileanu beat Olivia Myers 6-2,6-2 in the No. 2 singles match to make it 3-0. Alix Thurman clinched the team win with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Ashby.

SINGLES
1. Alix Thurman (MU) def. Meika Ashby (WMU), 6-2, 6-3
2. Andreea Badileanu (MU) def. Olivia Myers (WMU), 6-2, 6-2
3. Christine Guerrazzi (MU) def. Tracy Kuhle (WMU), 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 (10-6)
4. Nelli Ponomareva (MU) def. Barbare Eristavi (WMU), 2-6, 7-6 (1), 1-0 (10-6)
5. Hannah Shteyn (MU) def. Caroline Aleck (WMU), 6-3, 6-1
6. Ana Rajkovic (MU) def. Labina Petrovska (WMU), 6-2, 6-1

Order of finish: 6, 2, 1, 5, 3, 4

DOUBLES
1. Christine Guerrazzi/Nelli Ponomareva (MU) def. #52 Caroline Aleck/Meika Ashby (WMU), 6-2
2. Hannah Shteyn/Alix Thurman (MU) def. Barbare Eristavi/Yuriko Ono (WMU), 6-4
3. Andreea Badileanu/Ramona Costea (MU) vs. Tracy Kuhle/Olivia Myers (WMU), 5-5 (unfinished)