MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES WOMEN'S TENNIS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
For Immediate Release-Thursday, April 7, 2011
MAC Women's Tennis Player of the Week
Anastasia Dracheva, Miami - Senior, Moscow, Russia
Miami senior Anastasia Dracheva helped Miami win both of its matches last week, including a 6-1 decision over Western Michigan on Saturday. The match featured the two teams that have combined for the last six regular-season MAC titles and have met in the championship match each of the last two years. Dracheva was 2-0 in singles with a pair of 6-2, 6-1 victories at No. 2. Both of her wins gave Miami a 3-0 lead in the match. Dracheva is now 20-7 overall for the year, including 15-3 during dual matches and stands 9-1 at No. 2. Dracheva was 1-1 with No. 3 doubles partner Cara Wald. After losing 8-3 at Bowling Green, they rebounded for an 8-4 win that clinched the doubles point at Western Michigan.
Additional Nominees:
Mary Hill, Bowling Green - Sophomore, Munster, Ind.
Bowling Green sophomore Mary Hill was a perfect 4-0 as the Falcons split two MAC matches last weekend. Hill did not lose a game in her win over Ball State's Dena Boulieris (6-0, 6-0) at the fourth singles flight and teamed with Nikki Chiricosta for an 8-4 win in doubles, at the third flight. Against Miami, Hill downed Miami's Riekie Honiball in a third-set tiebreaker in #4 singles, and teamed with Chiricosta for an 8-3 win over the RedHawks in doubles action. Hill has an overall singles record of 20-9, including an 11-5 mark in dual-match play, and a 3-1 record in MAC matches. In doubles, Hill has combined with Nikki Chiricosta for a 13-3 record overall, as the duo is a perfect 6-0 in dual matches, and 4-0 in MAC action. Hill's total of 42 wins on the season ties her for second on the team and also deadlocks her for 13th place on the school's all-time list.
Miriam Westerink, Eastern Michigan - Junior, Rheden, Netherlands
Eastern Michigan junior Miriam Westerink went a perfect 2-0 during this week of competition as she helped the Eagles preserve their home undefeated streak for the season in Eastern Michigan's 7-0 beating of Northern Illinois. In singles play, Westerink defeated Northern Illinois' Marina Schnapp in the No. 1 spot, 6-0, 6-1, and paired with freshman teammate Nino Mebuke to take the doubles match, 8-1. The Eagles will resume play April 8-9 as it brings Akron and Buffalo to town for back-to-back home matches.
Alex Cristello, Toledo - Sophomore, Toronto, Canada
Toledo sophomore Alex Cristello helped lead the Rockets to their second MAC win of the year with a nine-match sweep of the visiting Northern Illinois Huskies. Cristello won both her matches in swift fashion, earning an 8-0 victory in doubles and winning 6-1, 6-1 in her first match of the year in the No. 3 slot in singles. She improved to a 12-5 regular-season singles record and is a combined 10-7 in doubles.
Amanda Moccia, Western Michigan - Senior, Livonia, Mich.
Western Michigan senior Amanda Moccia was the top performer for the Broncos last week, going 3-1 overall against conference opponents from Ball State and Miami. Moccia was a perfect 2-0 in singles play last week, and went 1-1 in doubles play. Against Ball State, Moccia teamed with Maggie Remynse to take the No. 3 doubles match over Sarah Hebble and Lauren Pickrel by a score of 8-2. The Broncos would go on to sweep the doubles point. Later that day, Moccia defeated Kylee Johnson in a perfect 6-0, 6-0 sweep as the Broncos shut out the Cardinals 6-0 in singles play and 7-0 overall. Against Miami, the team predicted to finish No. 1 in the Mid-American Conference, Moccia was the sole Bronco to take a singles match from the Redhawks. She defeated Cara Wald 6-4, 6-1 in the No. 6 singles match. For the season, Moccia is 5-4 in No. 6 singles matches and 2-1 in No. 3 doubles matches.
Previous Honorees:
Jan. 26: Anastasia Dracheva, Miami
Feb. 2: Christine Chiricosta, Bowling Green
Feb. 9: Maggie Remynse, Western Michigan
Feb. 16: Kelsey Anonsen, Toledo
Feb. 23: Angelina Jogasuria, Akron
March 2: Nini Sujashvili, Western Michigan
March 9: Miranda Podlas, Buffalo
March 16: Jill Pastunink, Western Michigan
March 23: Rachel Denny, Western Michigan
March 30: Riekie Honiball, Miami