Mid-American Conference

MAC Women's Tennis Scoreboard

Friday, March 27
Akron 6, Bowling Green 1
Miami 6, Buffalo 1
Northern Illinois 4, Toledo 3
Western Michigan 5, Ball State 2

Sunday, March 29
Buffalo 7, Bowling Green 0
Miami 7, Akron 0
Toledo 4, Ball State 3
Western Michigan 6, Eastern Michigan 1


Akron:

Women's Tennis Drops a 7-0 Decision

AKRON, Ohio— The University of Akron women's tennis team fell 7-0 to Miami (Ohio) in Mid-American Conference action on Sunday afternoon at the LaTuchie Tennis Center. The Zips fell to 9-9 overall and -13 in MAC play, while the RedHawks improved to 8-6 overall and 3-0 in the MAC.

"Miami is definitely the best in our conference," head coach Brandon Padgett said. "We did as well as we could under the circumstances with a very depleted line-up. We're happy with the way Martina and Sophia played, but we need to do a better job of closing out when given the opportunity."

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

In singles action, junior Martina Zerbola (Neuquen, Argentina) fell in a third set tie-breaker at No. 1 to Alix Thurman, 7-5, 4-6, 1-0 (10-1). Freshman Sophia Geier (Burgebrach, Germany) also fell to Nelli Ponomareva in a tie-breaker at the No. 4. spot, 6-2, 2-6, 1-0 (10-4).

Akron travels to Western Michigan on Friday, April 3, for a 1 p.m. MAC contest.

MIAMI 7, AKRON 0; LaTuchie Tennis Center; March 29, 2015

Doubles:
1. Martina Zerbola / Sophia Geier (UA) vs. Christine Guerazzi / Ana Rajkovic (MU), unfinished
2. Alix Thurman / Hannah Shteyn (MU) def. Madison Cohen / Shannon Newnes, 6-0
3. Andrea Badileanu / Ramona Costea (MU) def. Ariadna Blinova / Kati Mdzinarishvili, 6-0

Singles:
1. Alix Thurman (MU) def. Martina Zerbola, 7-5, 4-6, 1-0 (10-1)
2. Andrea Badileanu (MU) def. Olga Shkundina, 6-2, 4-0, ret.
3. Christine Guerazzi (MU) def. Ariadna Blinova, 6-1, 6-2
4. Nelli Ponomareva (MU) def. Sophia Geier, 6-2, 2-6, 1-0 (10-4)
5. Hannah Shteyn (MU) def. Shannon Newnes, 6-1, 6-2
6. Ana Rajkovic (MU) def. Madison Cohen, 6-3, 6-2

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


Zips Earn 6-1 Win Over Falcons

AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron women's tennis team defeated Mid-American Conference foe Bowling Green on Friday at LaTuchie Tennis Center by a score of 6-1 for the first conference win of the season.

The win moves Akron to 9-8 overall and 1-2 in conference action, while Bowling Green slips to 0-12 and 0-3 in MAC play.

In doubles action, Akron collected wins in the No. 1 and No. 3 spots. The team of junior Martina Zerbola (Neuquen, Argentina) and freshman Sophia Geier (Burgebrach, Germany) defeated Megan Miller and Harley Hutchison, 6-4, in the No. 1 spot. Senior Olga Shkundina (Ufa, Russia) and freshman Ariadna Blinova (Riga, Latvia) picked up the second doubles victory, coming in the No. 3 spot at 6-0 against Antonina Farrar and Sydney Seeley.

"Taking the doubles point today was important, especially for our team from a psychological standpoint. It was nice to see Sophia and Martina get back on track," head coach Brandon Padgett said. "Olga gutted out another tough win for us today, and I know it was difficult for her physically, but that is what seniors do, and I am very proud of her."

In singles action, the Zips won in the No. 2 through No. 6 spots, each taking the first two sets over the Falcons.

Shkundina posted a win at the No. 2 spot after taking both sets by a score of 6-4 against Hutchison. Blinova followed in the No. 3 spot with a winning score of 6-2 in each set against Bowling Green's Emily Witt. A win in the No. 4 spot came from Geier, who topped Brittany Plaszewski, 7-5, 6-3. Sophomore Shannon Newnes (Romford, London) defeated Farrar (6-1, 6-0) while junior Madison Cohen (Huntingdon Valley, Pa.) claimed a 6-0, 6-0 win over Seeley to round out the singles victories.

"We had several players with flu-like symptoms today, so I am proud of how everyone fought. Ariadna and Sophia continue to excel in singles, which is great to see," Padgett said.

AKRON 6, BOWLING GREEN 1; LaTuchie Tennis Center; March 27, 2015

Doubles:
1. Martina Zerbola / Sophia Geier (UA) def. Megan Miller / Harley Hutchison, 6-4
2. Madison Cohen / Karolina Maksimova (UA) vs. Brittany Plaszewski / Antonina Farrar, 4-4 (30-0, UA), unfinished
3. Olga Shkundina / Ariadna Blinova (UA) def. Antonina Farrar / Sydney Seeley, 6-0

Singles:
1. Megan Miller (BGSU) def. Martina Zerbola, 3-6, 6-3, 1-0 (9)
2. Olga Shkundina (UA) def. Harley Hutchison, 6-4, 6-4
3. Ariadna Blinova (UA) def. Emily Witt, 6-2, 6-2
4. Sophia Geier (UA) def. Brittany Plaszewski, 7-5, 6-3
5. Shannon Newnes (UA) def. Antonina Farrar, 6-1, 6-0
6. Madison Cohen (UA) def. Sydney Seeley, 6-0, 6-0

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


Ball State:

Cardinals Lose Close Match At Toledo, 4-3

TOLEDO, Ohio - The Ball State women's tennis team dropped a hard-fought match to Toledo, 4-3, Sunday afternoon at the Shadow Valley Tennis Club.

"We definitely got better today," Ball State head women's tennis coach Max Norris said.  "Our doubles was the only thing that I was disappointed in. I was particularly impressed by Toni and Ashlyn's singles play. Ashlyn didn't come out on top but she played the right way and she's getting better. We are excited for Friday. Go cards!"

The Rockets (12-5, 3-0 MAC) captured the doubles point over the Cardinals (10-4, 0-2 MAC) after earning wins on courts one and three.  Before the match was suspended at the No. 2 spot, Courtney Earnest alongside teammate Rosalinda Calderon were down only a point (5-4) against Toledo's twosome of Emily Mazzola and Lexy Pit.

Down 1-0 heading into singles, Ball State began to fight its way back into the match.  It started on court three, when Toni Ormond took down Sidnay Huck, 6-0, 7-5 to even the score 1-1 for the Cardinals.  After that, Earnest gave Ball State its first lead (2-1) with her 6-0, 6-4 win over Pitt at the No. 2 slot.

The Rockets would then post victories on courts six and five to give Toledo the 3-2 advantage, but Courtney Wild quickly answered with a three set thriller over Pia Rygh, 6-7, 6-3, 6-1 on the top court.  With the match tied at 3-3, the win would come down to the No. 4 singles position.  Rang put up an incredible fight against Mazzola but would lose in the third set 7-6 to give Toledo its third straight MAC win of the season.

The Ball State women's tennis team continues Mid-American Conference action when it hosts Buffalo, Friday at 1 p.m. in the Cardinal Creek Tennis Center.


Women's Tennis Falls 5-2 At Western Michigan

KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Ball State women's tennis team lost a hard fought match, 5-2, at Mid-American Conference rival Western Michigan Friday afternoon at West Hills Athletic Club.

“Today was a tough day for us, Ball State head women’s tennis coach Max Norris said.  “ I didn't do a good job preparing us for some of our match ups and it showed. Our team is resilient though and we will learn from this.”

With the loss, Ball State falls to 10-3 overall and 0-1 in the MAC while Western Michigan improves to 9-7 and 1-0 in league action.

Western Michigan took the early 1-0 lead over the Cardinals after the Broncos twosome of Tracy Kuhle and Olivia Myers defeated the Ball State duo of Ashlyn Rang and Toni Ormond 6-3, on court three.  Barbare Eristavi and Yuriko Ono, claimed the doubles point with their 6-3 victory over Courtney Wild and Bethany Moore at the No. 2 spot.  On the top court, Courtney Earnest alongside doubles partner Rosalinda Calderon,  took down Meika Ashby and Caroline Aleck, 6-1.

In singles action, Wild fell behind early in the first set 6-1 on the top court before coming back to take sets two and three (6-1, 6-4) from Meika Ashby, for her first MAC victory of the season.  The second point for the Cardinals came from Earnest at the No. 2 position after her three set defeat over Myers, 6-0, 6-7 (5-7), 10-5.  This is the third year straight that Earnest has started the MAC season 1-0.


Bowling Green:

Falcons Fall To Zips, 6-1

Bowling Green State University tennis freshman Megan Miller won at the top singles flight for the second time in as many matches, but the host University of Akron got past the Falcons, 6-1, Friday afternoon (March 27). The MAC match was held at LaTuchie Tennis Center.

Miller defeated Akron's Martina Zerbola in a narrow tiebreaker after the two had split their two sets by identical 6-3 scores. Miller, a native of Sylvania, Ohio (Northview HS), outlasted her UA foe, 11-9, in the 'breaker.

Miller is now 2-1 in MAC singles play this season, with all three matches coming at the number-one flight. She leads the Falcons in both singles wins (eight) and overall victories (15) in this, her first season with the Brown and Orange.

"The girls played great today," said BGSU head coach Olga Elkin. "That was some of the best tennis I have seen some of them play. Attitude and effort was great right from the start."

The Zips took the doubles point to open Friday's match, but two of those three doubles matches were very closely contested. UA's Olga Shkundina and Araidna Blinova won a 6-0 decision over sophomore Antonina Farrar and freshman Sydney Seeley at the third flight, and the Zips would also post a narrow win in first-flight action.

At the top flight, UA's Zerbola and Sophia Geier took an early lead over Miller and sophomore Harley Hutchison, but never could pull away from the Falcon duo. The Zips forged ahead on multiple occasions, only see the Falcons pull within a game each time. Leading by a 5-4 score, however, the Geier/Zerbola tandem was able to capture the next game to give the home team the doubles point.

The second-flight match was a tight, back-and-forth affair. Sophomore Brittany Plaszewski and freshman Emily Witt took an early lead over the Zips' team of Karolina Maksimova and Madison Cohen, winning the first game before the UA duo won the next two. The closely-contested match saw Plaszewski and Witt move into a 4-4 tie with their Akron foes before the match was halted as the top-flight doubles battle came to an end.

In singles play, UA got wins from Cohen and Shannon Newnes at the sixth and fifth flights, respectively, to take a 3-0 lead. When Blinova got past Witt at the third-flight match, the Zips had the requisite four points.

Akron picked up a narrow win at the second flight, where Shkundina defeated Hutchison by identical 6-4 scores. Hutchison took an early lead in each set and battled to the very end, before the UA senior eked out the narrow win on each occasion.

Miller gave the Falcons a point at the top flight. After Zerbola won the first set by a 6-3 count, Miller responded by downing the UA team captain by the identical score in the second set, then outlasting her in the tiebreaker.  Miller now has a record of 3-2 in matches requiring a 10-point tiebreaker this season, including a 3-1 mark during the dual-match portion of the schedule.

The Zips' final point came at the fourth flight, where Geier held off Plaszewski in a narrow 7-5 opening set, then won the second set by a 6-3 final.

The Falcons' weekend road swing continues, as BGSU heads to Western New York to face the University at Buffalo on Sunday afternoon (March 29). That match is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. at the Miller Tennis Center in Williamsville, N.Y.

AKRON 6, BGSU 1
Friday, March 27, 2015 – LaTuchie Tennis Center – Stow, Ohio
SINGLES
1 – Megan Miller (BGSU) def. Martina Zerbola 3-6, 6-3, 1-0 (11-9)
2 – Olga Shkundina (UA) def. Harley Hutchison 6-4, 6-4
3 – Ariadna Blinova (UA) def. Emily Witt 6-2, 6-2
4 – Sophia Geier (UA) def. Brittany Plaszewski 7-5, 6-3
5 – Shannon Newnes (UA) def. Antonina Farrar 6-1, 6-0
6 – Madison Cohen (UA) def. Sydney Seeley 6-0, 6-0

DOUBLES
1 – Zerbola/Geier (UA) def. Hutchison/Miller 6-4
2 – Cohen/Karolina Maksimova (UA) vs. Plaszewski/Witt (BGSU) 4-4, DNF
3 – Blinova/Shkundina (UA) def. Farrar/Seeley 6-0

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


Buffalo:

Buffalo Aces Bowling Green, 7-0

BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo, State University of New York women's tennis team blanked visiting Bowling Green, 7-0, Sunday afternoon at Miller Tennis Center.

The Bulls (6-8, 2-2 MAC) won the second and third doubles matches to claim the doubles point and suspend the number one match knotted at 6-6. Sophomore Laura Holterbosch and freshman Doris Aleksovska defeated the Falcons (0-13, 0-4 MAC), 7-5, at second doubles, while freshmen Tanja Stojanovska and Christine Haraldson upended BGSU's third doubles duo, 6-1.

Stojanovska edged Megan Miller, 7-5, 6-2, at first doubles and sophomore Margarita Kotok defeated Harley Hutchison, 6-2, 6-0, at the second position. Junior Dayana Agasieva won her third-singles match, 6-2, 6-4, against Emily Witt. Holterbosch picked up a win at four, 6-4, 6-1, over Brittany Plaszewski. Haraldson aced Antonia Farrar, 6-0, 6-0, at fifth singles and Aleksovska secured a 6-1, 6-0 decision over Sydney Seeley at sixth singles.

The Bulls will next compete on Friday, April 3 at Ball State at 1 pm.

DOUBLES
No. 1: Kotok/Agasieva (UB) vs. Miller/Hutchison (BGSU), DNF 6-6
No. 2: Holterbosch/Aleksovska (UB) def. Witt/Plaszewski (BGSU), 7-5
No. 3: Stojanovska/Haraldson (UB) def. Farrar/Seeley (BGSU), 6-1

SINGLES
No. 1: Tanja Stojanovska (UB) def. Megan Miller (BGSU), 7-5, 6-2
No. 2: Margarita Kotok (UB) def. Harley Hutchison (BGSU), 6-2, 6-0
No. 3: Dayana Agasieva (UB) def. Emily Witt (BGSU), 6-2, 6-4
No. 4: Laura Holterbosch (UB) def. Brittany Plaszewski (BGSU), 6-4, 6-1
No. 5: Christine Haraldson (UB) def. Antonia Farrar (BGSU), 6-0, 6-0
No. 6: Doris Aleksovska (UB) def. Sydney Seeley (BGSU), 6-1, 6-0


Women's Tennis Drops 6-1 Decision To Miami

BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo, State University of New York women's tennis team suffered a 6-1 setback to Mid-American Conference leader, Miami (OH), Friday afternoon at Miller Tennis Center.

The RedHawks (9-6, 3-0 MAC) defeated the Bulls (5-8, 1-2 MAC) to win their seventh match in their last eight outings.

Sophomore Margarita Kotok and junior Dayana Agasieva teamed to defeat the RedHawks, 6-1, at first doubles. Freshmen Tanja Stojanovska and Christine Haraldson were narrowly defeated, 7-5, at third doubles.

Four singles matches went to three sets, but Stojanovska secured the lone UB victory. She defeated Alix Thurman, 7-5, 3-6, 6-2, at first singles. At the second position, Kotok dropped a 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 decision to Andrea Badileanu. Christine Guerrazzi topped senior Laura Fernandez, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 at third singles, while sophomore Laura Holterbosch fell to Hannah Shteyn at the fifth spot, 2-6, 6-2, 6-1.

DOULBES
No. 1: Kotok/Agasieva (UB) def. Ponomareva/Guerrazzi (MU), 6-1
No. 2: Thurman/Shteyn (MU) def. Fernandez/Holterbosch (UB), 6-3
No. 3: Badileanu/Costea (MU) def. Stojanovska/Haraldson (UB), 7-5

SINGLES
No. 1: Tanja Stojanovska (UB) def. Alix Thurman (MU), 7-5, 3-6, 6-2
No. 2: Andrea Badileanu (MU) def. Margarita Kotok (UB), 6-2, 2-6, 6-3
No. 3: Christine Guerrazzi (MU) def. Laura Fernandez (UB), 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
No. 4: Nelli Ponomareva (MU) def. Dayana Agasieva (UB), 6-2, 7-6 (5)
No. 5: Hannah Shteyn (MU) def. Laura Holterbosch (UB), 2-6, 6-2, 6-1
No. 6: Ana Rajkovic (MU) def. Christine Haraldson (UB), 6-4, 6-0


Eastern Michigan:

Eagles Fall To Broncos, 6-1

YPSILANTI, Mich. -- Eastern Michigan University's women's tennis team dropped a 6-1 decision to the Western Michigan University Broncos Sunday, March 29, at the Chippewa Club. The Eagles fll to 5-11 on the season with a 1-2 Mid-American Conference record while the Broncos advance to 11-8 with a 3-1 conference tally.

Eastern dropped the doubles point after Daphne Friedrichs and Alejandra Barcelo Almoyna fell 6-1 in the No. 2 doubles spot, while Tracy Kuhle and Olivia Myers knocked off EMU's Ani Gogvadze and Anna Veleva, 6-3. Klara Supejova and Andrea Martinovska's No. 1 doubles match was unfinished because the point had been decided before the match was completed.

Veleva was the only Eagle to come away with a victory in singles play, taking a 7-5, 7-6 decision over Caroline Aleck in the No. 5 singles spot. Both Supejova and Almoyna went to three-set matches but came up short.

"I expect a lot more out of this team, then what I saw today," remarked Head Coach Ryan Ray. "We need to make changes for the better moving forward.  We need to be tougher on all levels.  Once those changes are made, we can finish strong.  We will get to work this week on what we need to do to compete at a higher and sustainable level."

The Eagles return to the court Friday, April 3, when they welcome reigning MAC Champion Miami for a 1 p.m. match at the Chippewa Club.

Singles
1. Olivia Myers (WMU) def. Klara Supejova (EMU), 3-6, 6-1, 10-6
2. Meika Ashby (WMU) def. Ani Gogvadze (EMU), 6-0, 6-0
3. Barbare Eristavi (WMU) def. Andrea Martinovska (EMU), 6-1, 6-4
4. Tracy Kuhle (WMU) def. Daphne Friedrichs (EMU), 6-2, 6-3
5. Anna Veleva (EMU) def. Caroline Aleck (WMU), 7-5, 7-6
6. Yuriko Ono (WMU) def. Alejandra Barcelo Almoyna (EMU), 6-3, 6-7, 10-6

Doubles
1. Supejova/Martinovksa (EMU) def. Aleck/Ashby (WMU), 5-2 (unfinished)
2. Eristavi/Ono (WMU) def. Friedrichs/Almoyna (EMU), 6-1
3. Kuhle/Myers (WMU) def. Gogvadze/Veleva (EMU), 6-3


Miami:

Women's Tennis Remains Unbeaten in MAC Play

AKRON, Ohio –Miami University’s women’s tennis remained undefeated in Mid-American Conference play with a decisive 7-0 victory over the Akron Zips Sunday afternoon at the LaTuchie Tennis Center. The win marked the fifth straight for the RedHawks (10-6, 4-0) and their eighth in their last nine matches.

In doubles, the RedHawks wasted little time in taking the opening point from the Zips (9-9, 1-3) with a quick pair of shutout wins. Senior Ramona Costea and sophomore Andreea Badileanu were victorious for the ninth consecutive match as they defeated Ariadna Blinova and Kati Mdzinarishvili, 6-0, in third flight. In the other Miami victory, senior Alix Thurman and freshman Hannah Shteyn earned a 6-0 decision against Madison Cohen and Shannon Newnes. The remaining match featuring senior Christine Guerrazzi and junior Ana Rajkovic was abandoned following the clinching of the doubles point.

The success for Miami extended into singles play with the RedHawks picking up wins in all six matches. Badileanu won her 11th straight match with a 6-2, 4-0, ret. result against Olga Shkundina in second flight. Guerrazzi and Shteyn both earned 6-1, 6-2 victories over Blinova and Newnes respectively. Rajkovic won her fourth straight match, beating Cohen, 6-3, 6-2 in sixth flight. The final matches of the day were decided in third set tiebreakers after Akron won second sets in each. Freshman Nelli Ponomareva rebounded to take her match, 6-2, 2-6, 1-0 (10-4). In first flight, Thurman used a dominant third set to defeat Martina Zerbola, 7-5, 4-6, 1-0 (10-1).

The RedHawks will return to the road for a match against Eastern Michigan on Friday, April 3 at 1 p.m. They will head back to Oxford to face the Toledo Rockets on Sunday, April 5 at 1 p.m. at the Hepburn Varsity Tennis Courts. Check MURedHawks.com for recaps of both matches and live stats for the Toledo match.

SINGLES

1. Alix Thurman (MU) def. Martina Zerbola (UA), 7-5, 4-6, 1-0 (10-1)
2. Andrea Badileanu (MU) def. Olga Shkundina (UA), 6-2, 4-0, ret.
3. Christine Guerazzi (MU) def. Ariadna Blinova (UA), 6-1, 6-2
4. Nelli Ponomareva (MU) def. Sophia Geier (UA), 6-2, 2-6, 1-0 (10-4)
5. Hannah Shteyn (MU) def. Shannon Newnes (UA), 6-1, 6-2
6. Ana Rajkovic (MU) def. Madison Cohen (UA), 6-3, 6-2
Order of finish: 2, 3, 5, 6, 4, 1

DOUBLES

1. Martina Zerbola / Sophia Geier (UA) vs. Christine Guerazzi / Ana Rajkovic (MU), unfinished
2. Alix Thurman / Hannah Shteyn (MU) def. Madison Cohen / Shannon Newnes (UA), 6-0
3. Andrea Badileanu / Ramona Costea (MU) def. Ariadna Blinova / Kati Mdzinarishvili (UA), 6-0
Order of finish: 2, 3, 1 (unfinished)


RedHawks Win 6-1 Over Buffalo

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Miami University women’s team commenced a three-match road trip Friday afternoon with a 6-1 victory against the Buffalo Bulls at the UB Tennis Center. The RedHawks’ win avenged their only Mid-American Conference loss of last season and was their seventh victory in their last eight outings.

The RedHawks (9-6, 3-0) took two of three doubles matchups from the Bulls (5-8, 1-2) to earn the match’s opening point. The pair of senior Ramona Costea and sophomore Andreea Badileanu won their eighth consecutive match with a hard-fought 7-5 decision against Christine Haraldson and Tanja Stojanovska. Senior Alix Thurman and freshman Hannah Shteyn were victorious for the 10th time in their last 12 efforts, defeating Laura Fernandez and Laura Holterbosch, 6-1.

In singles play, Badileanu took three sets to win her 10th consecutive match in a 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 result against Margarita Kotok. Senior Christine Guerrazzi also went the distance against Fernandez, eventually prevailing 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. Shteyn overcame a dropped first set to beat Holterbosch in a 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 match. Freshman Nelli Ponomareva faced a challenge in the second set, but came through in the tiebreaker to take the match, 6-2, 7-5 (5) from Dayana Agasieva. Junior Ana Rajkovic had far less trouble than her teammates as she downed Haraldson in a decisive 6-4, 6-0 result. The Bulls earned their lone point of the day with Stojanovska’s three-set victory over Thurman, 7-5, 3-6, 6-2.

SINGLES
1.    Tanja Stojanovska (UB) def. Alix Thurman (MU), 7-5, 3-6, 6-2
2.    Andreea Badileanu (MU) def. Margarita Kotok (UB), 6-2, 2-6, 6-3
3.    Christine Guerrazzi (MU) def. Laura Fernandez (UB), 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
4.    Nelli Ponomareva (MU) def. Dayana Agasieva (UB), 6-2, 7-6 (5)
5.    Hannah Shteyn (MU) def. Laura Holterbosch (UB), 2-6, 6-2, 6-1
6.    Ana Rajkovic (MU) def. Christine Haraldson (UB), 6-4, 6-0

DOUBLES
1.    Dayana Agasieva/Margarita Kotok (UB) def. Christine Guerrazzi/Nelli Ponomareva (MU), 6-1
2.    Hannah Shteyn/Alix Thurman (MU) def. Laura Fernandez/Laura Holterbosch (UB), 6-3
3.    Andreea Badileanu/Ramona Costea (MU) def. Christine Haraldson/Tanja Stojanovska (UB), 7-5


Northern Illinois:

Huskies Top Rockets in 4-3 Thriller

ROCKFORD, Ill. - The Northern Illinois University women's tennis team pulled off an incredible victory against Toledo in Mid-American Conference action on Friday morning, as the Huskies topped the Rockets 4-3 in a thrilling, back-and-forth contest at the Boylan Tennis Center in Rockford, Ill.

Two Huskies -- Mary Malkin (Tel Aviv, Israel/Alliance) and Arantza De La Torre (San Luis Potosi, Mexico/Motolinia) -- recorded come-from-behind, three-set victories against Sidnay Huck and Lauren Thai, respectively, while Nelle Youel (Crystal Lake, Ill./Crystal Lake Central) kept her undefeated season alive with a straight-set singles win and Cristina Alvarez (Zaragoza, Spain/Cristorey Sagrado Corazon de Jesus) also picked up an impressive singles victory over Lexy Pitt that would prove decisive.

In a match that wasn't decided until the final point, NIU won four singles matches to overcome losing the doubles point, making it the first time this season the team did so. Previously, NIU had been 10-0 when winning the doubles point and 0-4 when losing it, but that changed on Friday.

First-year Huskie head coach Tanya Gombera was thrilled to see her team thrive against the early adversity to notch a victory that moves NIU near the top of the conference standings.

"Wow! I am so proud of the team," Gombera said. "This was a team effort, indeed. We lost the doubles point, but we were able to come back in several singles matches and fight as a team to earn the win."

The Huskies (11-4, 2-1 MAC) defeated the Rockets (11-6, 2-1 MAC) for the first time since 2012, which was also the last time NIU women's tennis won more than one conference match in a season.

Senior star Nelle Youel's doubles match with Alvarez went unfinished, but her 6-2, 6-3 win over Pia Rygh of Toledo in the No. 1 singles match improved her overall record to 25-0 and her singles mark to 15-0 this spring, keeping her unblemished campaign alive and well.

Malkin and De La Torre also moved into double-figure win totals in singles this spring, both improving to 10-5 with their spirited fightbacks.

Next up for NIU women's tennis is a matchup with Eastern Michigan next Sunday, April 5 in Ypsilanti, Mich. The contest will start at 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT.

NIU 4, Toledo 3

Doubles
No. 1:N. Youel and Alvarez (NIU) unfinished vs. Thai and Rygh (UT)
No. 2:Pitt and Mazzola (UT) def. Stefancic and E. Youel (NIU), 6-1
No. 3:Huck and Bowman (UT) def. De La Torre and Malkin (NIU), 6-4

Singles
No. 1:N. Youel (NIU) def. Rygh (UT), 6-2, 6-3
No. 2:Alvarez (NIU) def. Pitt (UT), 6-3, 7-5
No. 3: Malkin (NIU) def. Huck (UT), 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-2
No. 4: De La Torre (NIU) def. Thai (UT), 2-6, 6-0, 6-4
No. 5:Mazzola (UT) def. E. Youel (NIU), 7-5, 6-2
No. 6: Bowman (UT) def. Dekkinga (NIU), 4-6, 6-2, 6-2


Toledo:

Women's Tennis Rallies To Top Ball State, 4-3

TOLEDO, OH - The Toledo women's tennis team (12-6, 3-1 MAC) won a thrilling Mid-American Conference match, 4-3 vs. Ball State on Sunday at Shadow Valley Tennis Club.  The match came down to the final court, where the Rockets came out on top.

"We asked the team to play with their hearts and that's exactly what they did," head coach Tracy Mauntler said. "I could not be prouder of their effort today."

The match was tied at three apiece and came down to the No. 4 singles court where junior Emily Mazzola and BSU's Ashlyn Rang battled into a third set. Rang jumped out to an early lead with a 6-2 win in the first set, but Mazzola battled back to win set two 6-3.

In the third and deciding set, Mazzola trailed Rang 6-5, but saved a match point that would have clinched the whole match, fighting back to win the third set 7-6 in a 7-4 tiebreak to seize the victory for the Midnight Blue & Gold.

The Rockets once again won the doubles point on Sunday, making it eight-consecutive matches and 17 times out of 18 tries this season.

Senior Pia Rygh and sophomore Lauren Thai won their 12th doubles match of the season with a 6-1 victory at the top doubles spot, while junior Mackenzie Bowman and freshman Sidnay Huck improved to 12-2 on the year with a 6-2 win at No. 3 doubles.

In singles action, UT dropped the top three spots, but wins by Mazzola, Thai and Bowman and Nos. 4, 5 and 6 singles, respectively, helped the Rockets inch out the victory.

For Mazzola and Bowman, it was their second singles win of the weekend.

The Rockets continue MAC play next weekend when they travel for road matches at Bowling Green and Miami. UT will take on the Falcons on Friday, April 3 and the RedHawks on Sunday, April 5, with both matches scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m.


Rockets Fall To Northern Illinois, 4-3

ROCKFORD, IL - The Toledo women's tennis team lost its first Mid-American Conference match of the season, in a 4-3 back-and-forth contest at Northern Illinois.

With the loss, the Rockets drop to 11-6 on the season and 2-1 in the MAC and it was the first time since 2012 that Toledo dropped a match to the Huskies.

"This was a disappointing loss for us," head coach Tracy Mauntler said. "I give credit to NIU for battling so hard in singles. We did not display the kind of tennis we are capable of playing and we need to do a better job of controlling our singles courts on Sunday against Ball State."

UT led off the match by claiming the doubles point for the seventh-consecutive contest and 16th time this season. Senior Lexy Pitt and junior Emily Mazzola teamed up at No. 2 doubles for an impressive 6-1 victory, while junior Mackenzie Bowman and freshman Sidnay Huck won 6-4 at No. 3 doubles.

Pitt and Mazzola scored their team leading 12th doubles victory this season, while Bowman and Huck are now 11-2 on the year with seven-straight wins.

In singles play, the Huskies won all four of the top spots, including two come from behind victories to clinch the match.

Mazzola won in straight sets, 7-5, 6-2, at No. 5 singles, while Bowman battled back from a first-set loss to win 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 at the No. 6 singles spot.

NIU 4, Toledo 3

Doubles
No. 1:N. Youel and Alvarez (NIU) unfinished vs. Thai and Rygh (UT)
No. 2:Pitt and Mazzola (UT) def. Stefancic and E. Youel (NIU), 6-1
No. 3:Huck and Bowman (UT) def. De La Torre and Malkin (NIU), 6-4

Singles
No. 1:N. Youel (NIU) def. Rygh (UT), 6-2, 6-3
No. 2:Alvarez (NIU) def. Pitt (UT), 6-3, 7-5
No. 3: Malkin (NIU) def. Huck (UT), 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-2
No. 4: De La Torre (NIU) def. Thai (UT), 2-6, 6-0, 6-4
No. 5:Mazzola (UT) def. E. Youel (NIU), 7-5, 6-2
No. 6: Bowman (UT) def. Dekkinga (NIU), 4-6, 6-2, 6-2


Western Michigan:

Women's Tennis Tops Eagles, 6-1

YPSILANTI, Mich. – The Western Michigan women’s tennis team continued its early surge in Mid-American Conference play on Sunday, dominating Eastern Michigan on the road for their third straight win with a 6-1 decision over the Eagles. The victory improves the Broncos’ record to 11-8 on the season, 3-1 against MAC opponents. The victory closes out a stretch in which WMU played three of its first four conference matches on the road.

The 6-1 score represented the largest margin of victory for the Broncos over the Eagles in six years, dating back to a 7-0 victory over the Eagles on March 27, 2009. Four of the six Broncos in the line-up went 2-0 on the day, including Olivia Myers, who improved to 3-0 in No. 1 singles matches with a three-set victory over Klara Supejova.

Barbare Eristavi and Yuriko Ono added to their team-leading doubles wins total to open the doubles session, beating Daphne Friedrichs and Alejandra Barcelo 6-1 in the No. 2 doubles match. Myers and Tracy Kuhle followed by clinching the doubles point with an equally dominant win, beating Anna Veleva and Ani Gogvadze 6-3 in the No. 3 doubles match to award the Broncos the opening point in the match.

Meika Ashby got back on the winning track in the first singles match off the court, giving the Broncos a 2-0 lead over the Eagles with a shutout 6-0, 6-0 victory over Gogvadze in the No. 2 singles match. Eristavi pushed it to 3-0 with a straight-sets victory over Andrea Martinovska in the No. 3 singles match. Kuhle delivered the clinching victory for the Broncos, beating Friedrichs 6-3, 6-3 at the No. 4 spot to deliver a team win for WMU.

The Broncos weren’t done, however, with Myers and Ono each notching singles wins to wrap up the scoring for the day. Myers bounced back from a set down against Supejova in the No. 1 singles match, beating her 3-6, 6-1, 1-0 (6). Ono also bounced back from a set loss, falling in a second-set tiebreaker to Barcelo before winning 6-3, 6-7 (4), 1-0 (6).

Singles
1. Olivia Myers (WMU) def. Klara Supejova (EMU) 3-6, 6-1, 1-0 (6)
2. Meika Ashby (WMU) def. Ani Gogvadze (EMU) 6-0, 6-0
3. Barbare Eristavi (WMU) def. Andrea Martinovska (EMU) 6-1, 6-4
4. Tracy Kuhle (WMU) def. Daphne Friedrichs (EMU) 6-3, 6-3
5. Anna Valeva (EMU) def. Caroline Aleck (WMU) 7-5, 7-6 (4)
6. Yuriko Ono (WMU) def. Alejandra Barcelo (EMU) 6-3, 6-7 (4), 1-0 (6)

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

Doubles
1. Klara Supejova/Andrea Martinovska (EMU) led Caroline Aleck/Meika Ashby (WMU) 5-2
2. Barbare Eristavi/Yuriko Ono (WMU) def. Daphne Friedrichs/Alejandra Barcelo (EMU) 6-1
3. Tracy Kuhle/Olivia Myers (WMU) def. Ani Gogvadze/Anna Veleva (EMU) 6-3

Order of finish: 2,3


Broncos Ground Cardinals In Win

KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Western Michigan women’s team to its second straight Mid-American Conference win in their its 2015 MAC home opener, defeating the Ball State Cardinals 5-2 at West Hills Athletic Club. The Broncos improve to 10-8 overall and 2-1 in MAC play and will continue their weekend of conference action with a road trip to Eastern Michigan on Sunday.
The Broncos swept through the Cardinal line-up en route to the victory, taking the doubles point and winning each of the first four singles matches on the courts to ensure the team victory. Three players went undefeated on the afternoon, with Barbare Eristavi, Yuriko Ono and Tracy Kuhle all winning both their respective singles and doubles matches.

Kuhle teamed up with Olivia Myers to deliver the first victory of the afternoon, beating Ashlyn Rang and Toni Ormond 6-3 in the No. 3 singles match to give WMU the edge. Eristavi and Ono tacked on to their team-leading doubles wins total with an impressive win in the No. 2 doubles match, beating Courtney Wild and Bethany Moore 6-3 to improve to 13-5 together this season.

With the doubles point now in hand the Broncos stayed on the offensive, blitzing the Cardinals for four straight singles wins to clinch the team win. Senior Caroline Aleck was the first to strike, defeating Moore 6-2, 6-1 in the No. 6 singles match to push the team ahead by a 2-0 score. Ono beat Rosalinda Calderon 6-1, 6-4 in the No. 5 singles match to force match point, and Eristavi overcame a first-set tiebreaker with Rang in the No. 3 singles match to win 7-6 (3), 6-1 and put a stamp on the victory. Kuhle punctuated the proceedings with a three-set win over Ormond, coming back from a set down to win 4-6, 6-4, 2-6 in the No. 4 singles matches.