MAC Women’s Tennis Singles Player of the Week
Cassie Alcala, Toledo, Sophomore, Pickerington, Ohio
Cassie Alcala went 2-0 in singles competition from the No. 1 court to help Toledo earn back-to-back wins over Buffalo (4-3) and Western Michigan (6-1). Alcala clinched the match point for the Rockets over Buffalo in a 6-4, 6-3 decision over Pia Schwartz on Friday. Alcala then defeated Lindsey Zieglar of WMU in an intense 6-4, 6(2)-7, 6-4 match on Sunday, to help Toledo win its 12th-straight home match since April 2, 2021 and remain undefeated at home this season. Alcala has won her last eight singles matches, all from the No. 1 court, has a 17-1 record, and perfect 5-0 vs. MAC opponents. Toledo is 14-4 overall with a 4-1 MAC showing.
MAC Women’s Tennis Doubles Player of the Week
Selina Karg / Hannah Neuman, Bowling Green
Doubles duo Selina Karg and Hannah Neuman won both of their matches this weekend, playing in the No. 1 spot each time. On Friday, the sophomores cruised to a 6-1 victory over Western Michigan's Femke Tjon-A-Joe and Ana Guadiana. They carried their momentum into Sunday, taking a 6-4 win over Buffalo's Pia Schwarz and Azra Deniz Comlek. The wins improve the duo to 3-1 in the MAC.
Other Singles Nominees
Hannah Davies, Ball State, Senior, Bristol, England
Davies went 2-0 in Mid-American Conference this week for the Cardinals. She opened the week with a 7-5, 6-1 defeat over Eastern Michigan’s Vasavi Ganesan at the No. 5 singles position. Davies moved up a spot in singles on Sunday playing at the No. 4 slot posting a 6-3, 6-3 win over Northern Illinois’ Christy Robinson. With the wins, Davies remains undefeated in Mid-American Conference action with a 5-0 ledger. Davies also won both her doubles matches this weekend.
Ioanna Tsadari, Bowling Green, Junior, Athens, Greece
Ioanna Tsadari won both of her singles matches this weekend to improve her MAC record to 3-1. On Friday, she won her opening set in the No. 2 spot, 6-0. After dropping the next set, 7-5, she rebounded the win the deciding set, 6-3. On Sunday, the junior earned another three-set victory in the No. 2 spot. She won 6-1 in the first set before losing the second set, 6-3. In the final set, she won 6-3 to clinch her second victory of the weekend.
Gabriella Akopyan, Buffalo, Senior, Yerevan, Armenia
Senior Gabriella Akopyan went a perfect 2-0 on the weekend at third singles. Beginning on Friday against Toledo, Akopyan lost just four games total in a 6-2, 6-2 win over Julia Kuszynski. She had her second straight sets victory on Sunday at Bowling Green as she defeated Maru Poppe, 6-3, 7-5, helping the Bulls to a 4-3 win over the Falcons.
Luisa Pelayo, Eastern Michigan, Redshirt Senior, Porto, Portugal
Luisa Pelayo helped Eastern Michigan to a 3-1 weekend with a 3-1 record of her own at No. 1. Pelayo started with a tough three-set win over Ball State's Emma Peeler, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, and followed that with a dominant performance against Wayne State, 6-2, 6-0, April 1. The redshirt senior then split on Sunday, April 3, losing 6-3, 6-2, at Miami, before bouncing back to a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Dayton.
Brindtha Ramasamy, Miami, Senior, Toronto, Ontario
Senior Brindtha Ramasamy, helped secure a first singles win against Eastern Michigan University on Sunday April 3rd. She defeated Luisa Pelayo 6-3 and 6-1. With this win her MAC record at 4-1.
Karin Hamilton, Western Michigan, Sophomore, Calgary, Alberta
Hamilton went 2-0 at No. 3 singles as the Broncos split with Bowling Green and Toledo. Against the Falcons she defeated Annika Vetter 2-6, 6-2, 6-4. Against the Rockets defeated Julia Kuszynski 7-5, 6-4. With her pair of wins she improved to 13-3 in dual match play and 4-1 in MAC action.
Other Doubles Nominees
Nikoleta Antoniou-Karademitrou // Gabriella Akopyan, Buffalo
Buffalo's third doubles team of Nikoleta Antoniou-Karademitrou and Gabriella Akopyan won both of their matches this weekend, helping the Bulls secure the doubles point in both matches. On Friday against Toledo, they defeated Sloane Teske and Chrissy Fuller, 6-3, which put UB on the board. On Sunday, they closed out the singles point with a 6-4 win over Annika Vetter and Maru Poppe.
Sabina Brichackova/ Prerna Vichare, Eastern Michigan
Eastern Michigan's No.1 doubles pairing of Sabina Brichackova and Prerna Vichare was essential in the Eagles going 3-1 this weekend. The freshmen made the move from two to one and went on to defeat Ball State's best doubles duo, 6-2, and Wayne State's, 7-5, April 1. The pair split Sunday, April 3, falling to Miami, 6-0, before topping Dayton, 6-1.
Brindtha Ramasamy/Laura Rico, Miami
Seniors Brindtha Ramasamy and Laura Rico, secured their win at first doubles against Eastern Michigan on Sunday April 3th defeating Prerna Vichare and Sabina Brichackova 6-0.
Karin Hamilton/Lindsey Zieglar, Western Michigan
Hamilton and Zieglar went 2-0 on the weekend as the Broncos split with Bowling Green and Toledo. Against the Falcons they won at No. 2 to help the Broncos earn the doubles point with a 6-4 win over Maia Silveira and Tsadari. Against Toledo the duo defeated Morera and Panta 6-4 at No. 2. The duo is 5-1 in dual match play and 2-0 in MAC play.
