Anastasia Dracheva ? Miami
Sophomore - Moscow, Russia
She went 4-0 on the week as the RedHawks topped Western Michigan and Bowling Green by identical 4-3 scores to secure a perfect conference season at 8-0. At singles versus WMU Dracheva defeated Emily Dudzik (WMU) 6-0, 6-2; and against BGSU beat Christine Chiricosta (BG) 6-4, 6-1. At No. 2 doubles she teamed with Monica Gorny to win over Amanda Moccia/Kerstin Pahl (WMU) 9-7; and Stefanie Menoff/Libby Harrison (BGSU) 8-0.
Dracheva improved to 19-9 this year (15-4 duals/8-0 MAC) with her 11th straight singles win. During the run, she has lost just 33 games. She is 16-4 in doubles this year, including 14-2 with current partner Monica Gorny. That duo has won 12 straight matches, including all seven conducted during league play. As a team, Miami has won nine straight matches, the longest success run since 10 straight victories to end the 1992 season.
Additional Nominees
Katia Babina ? Bowling Green
Junior - Glenview, Ill. (Glenbrook South)
Was a perfect 4-0 as the Falcons split a pair of matches on the weekend ... lost only three games in her singles win over Ball State's Kylee Johnson ... teamed with Samantha Kintzel for an 8-3 win over the Cardinals in doubles ... the next day, helped BGSU become the first MAC team to win the doubles point against Miami this year ... teamed with Kintzel for a 9-8 win in doubles ... then, rallied back after losing the first set to defeat MU's Stephanie Danesis ... now has a 29-24 overall record on the year ... went 5-3 in MAC singles play, and is 16-10 overall this year ... in doubles, has teamed with Kintzel to go 28-15 in their BGSU careers ... has won seven-straight matches (includes both singles and doubles) ... just a junior, is tied for 21st on the BGSU career singles wins list, with 46 ... is 22nd on the combined career wins list, with a total of 94 victories at BGSU.
Diana Popescu ? Buffalo
Sophomore - Alexandria, Romania/ AL. I. Cuza
Popescu won both her doubles and singles match as the Bulls defeated Akron, 6-1. At first doubles, Popescu teamed up with Denise Harijanto for an easy 8-2 victory. Then at second singles, Popescu won her match in straight sets, defeating Anna Baronayte, 6-4, 6-2. The doubles team has now won 10 straight matches.
Xu Chang ? Eastern Michigan
Sophomore - Beijing, China-Jinan University
Sophomore Xu Chang continued her win streak...She was perfect on the weekend against Northern Illinois...Defeated Kate Friedland 7-5, 6-4 in singles, recording her second straight win, finishing with an overall MAC singles record of 5-3...Teamed up with Karina Ahuja at doubles to defeat NIU's Asuahe and Rogers, 8-3, also picking up the duo's second straight win at doubles...Chang's win at No. 2 singles and doubles propelled EMU to the seventh seed in the tournament.
Yumi Matsuto ? Western Michigan
Junior - Kobeshi, Japan (Shukugawa/California-Pa.)
Yumi Matsuto was undefeated for the Broncos against league champion Miami and Ball State. Matsuto won 8-3 at No. 1 doubles and overcame leg cramps to complete a 4-6, 7-6 (4), 1-0 (7) comeback singles victory to become the first MAC opponent this season to win at both singles and doubles against the RedHawks. She then won 8-1 at No. 1 doubles against Ball State to finish the year 9-1 in MAC singles and doubles.
Previous Honorees
Jan. 20: Zara Harutyunyan ? Akron
Jan. 27: Maha Guirguis ? Toledo
Feb. 4: Ashley Moccia - Western Michigan
Feb. 11: Kerstin Pahl - Western Michgan
Feb. 18: Tanyaradzwa Gombera ? Akron
Feb. 25: Zara Harutyunyan ? Akron
Mar. 4: Emily Dudzik ? Western Michigan
Mar. 11: Kathryn Friedlund ? Northern Illinois
Mar. 18: Kerstin Pahl ? Western Michigan
Mar. 25: Denis Harijanto ? Buffalo
Apr. 1: Stefanie Menoff ? Bowling Green; and Emily Dudzik - Western Michigan
Apr. 8: Monica Gorny ? Miami
Apr. 15: Anna Baronayte ? Akron
Apr. 15 - Anastasia Dracheva ? Miami
This Week’s Schedule:
Thursday ? April 23
MAC Championship at Bowling Green, Ohio
Thursday ? April 23
No. 8 Northern Illinois versus No. 9 Ball State, noon
Friday ? April 24
Top Bracket
No. 1 Miami versus Northern Illinois/Ball State winner, 10 a.m.
No. 4 Bowling Green versus No. 5 Toledo, 10 a.m.
Bottom Bracket
No. 3 Western Michigan versus No. 6 Akron, 2 p.m.
No. 2 Buffalo versus No. 7 Eastern Michigan, 2 p.m.
Saturday ? April 25
Top Bracket winners, 10 a.m.
Bottom Bracket winners, 2 p.m.
Sunday ? April 26
Championship match, 1 p.m.