MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES WOMEN'S TENNIS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
For Immediate Release-Wednesday, April 13, 2011
MAC Women's Tennis Player of the Week
Ashley Frey, Toledo - Senior, Mentor, Ohio
Toledo senior Ashley Frey, the lone Rocket senior, picked up the sole win for the Rockets against No. 74 Akron, a fitting performance on her Senior Day. Frey picked up the win from the No. 2 slot, defeating Angelina Jogasuria - one half of Akron's ITA No. 45-ranked doubles tandem - 6-4, 6-4 to account for the Rockets' one point. Frey was recognized before the game with the most wins of any tennis player in Toledo history. In her four years to date, she has amassed a combined singles/doubles record of 158-85, including the singles win on Saturday, giving her a .650 winning percentage and putting her at the top of the Toledo annals.
Additional Nominees:
Kristel Sanders, Ball State - Freshman, Veldhoven, The Netherlands
Ball State freshman Kristel Sanders with her straight set victory over Northern Illinois' Martin Schnapp at the No. 2 position helped Christine Bader to her first Mid-American Conference victory as the head coach of the Caridnals. Sanders alongside teammate Lauren Pickrel defeted Northern Illinois 8-5 at No. 3 doubles.
Nikki Chiricosta, Bowling Green - Freshman, Avon Lake, Ohio
Bowling Green freshman Nikki Chiricosta went 3-1 as the Falcons played a pair of road matches last weekend. Chiricosta picked up a win at the third singles flight in Bowling Green's match at Western Michigan and downed Jill Pastunink, winning a tiebreaker after the two had split the first two sets. In doubles, Chiricosta teamed with sophomore Mary Hill, but suffered a 9-7 loss at the third flight. Chiricosta won a pair of matches at UIC the next day as she picked up a straight-sets win over Ilinca Cristescu (7-5, 7-5) in singles, and teamed up with Hill for an 8-3 win at flight number three. On the season, Chiricosta has a total of 47 wins to lead the Falcons, which is tied for the fourth highest in Bowling Green single-season history. Chiricosta has a team-best record of 25-7 in singles and a doubles mark of 22-9 on the year.
Maria Nivia, Western Michigan - Junior, Cali, Colombia
Western Michigan junior Maria Nivia was the top overall performer for the Broncos last week, going 2-0 in Western Michigan's key 6-1 win over MAC and Midwest region opponent Bowling Green at the West Hills Athletic Club last week. Nivia started out the day against the Falcons in the No. 3 doubles match, teaming with Jill Pastunink to beat Nikki Chiricosta and Mary Hill 9-7 in a thrilling come-from-behind win. Nivia and Pastunink trailed by a score of 5-2 at one point, but teamed up to take seven of the final nine games to clinch the doubles point for the Broncos. In singles play, Nivia defeated Hill again, this time by a score of 6-4, 6-2 in No. 4 singles action. The win was the third result of the day for the Broncos and gave them the 3-0 advantage in the match.
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
April 6: Anastasia Dracheva, Miami