Here is a look at last week's MAC women's tennis action.
Akron:
Women's Tennis Tops Visiting Youngstown State, 4-3
AKRON, Ohio – Following a nine-day break from competition, The University of Akron women's tennis team returned to action by posted a 4-3 victory over Youngstown State on Thursday afternoon at LaTuchie Tennis Center. The Zips (8-6) went up 1-0 with wins at first and third doubles and then secured match point thanks to victories at Nos. 3, 4 and 6 singles.
In doubles, UA's No. 1 pair of Prang Pantusart and Angelina Jogasuria, ranked 55th nationally, improved to 12-0 with an 8-0 win over Marta Burak and Margarita Sadovnikova. At No. 3, Olga Shkundina and Ksenia Berestetska downed Carolyn Jesko and Annina Brendel, 8-5.
Shkundina's 6-3, 4-6, 6-0 decision over Burak at No. 3 singles secured match point. At No. 4, Berestetska defeated Jesko 6-2, 6-0, after Madison Cohen topped Gimeno Puppo 6-0, 6-0 at No. 6.
Youngstown State (6-4) earn its points at Nos. 1, 2 and 5 singles and all by way of three-set victories. At No. 1, Angelina Jogasuria lost 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 to Paula de Man, at No. 2 it was Margarita Sadovnikova over Pantusart 7-6 (4), 4-6, 1-0 (5), and at No. 5 Signe Lazdina fell 6-4, 6-7 (2), 1-0 (7) to Annina Brendel. It was Lazdina's first competition of the spring season.
Akron opens Mid-American Conference play at home on March 22 versus Northern Illinois at 1 p.m. The Zips face Oakland in a non-conference match that same day at 6 p.m., and take on non-league foe Cleveland State on March 23 at 5 p.m.
Akron 4, Youngstown State 3
Doubles:
1. Prang Pantusart/Angelina Jogasuria (Akron) def. Marta Burak/Margarita Sadovnikova (YSU) 8-0
2. Paula de Man/Lauren Hankle (YSU) def. Madison Cohen/Angelika Jogasuria (Akron) 8-3
3. Olga Shkundina/Ksenia Berestetska (Akron) def. Carolyn Jesko/Annina Brendel (YSU) 8-5
Singles:
1. Paula de Man (YSU) def. Angelina Jogasuria (Akron) 6-3, 3-6, 6-1
2. Margarita Sadovnikova (YSU) def. Prang Pantusart (Akron) 7-6 (4), 4-6, 1-0 (5)
3. Olga Shkundina (Akron) def. Marta Burak (YSU) 6-3, 4-6, 6-0
4. Ksenia Berestetska (Akron) def. Carolyn Jesko (YSU) 6-2, 6-0
5. Annina Brendel (YSU) def. Signe Lazdina (Akron) 6-4, 6-7 (7-2), 1-0 (7)
6. Madison Cohen (Akron) def. Gimeno Puppo (YSU) 6-0, 6-0
Order of finish:
Doubles – 1, 2, 3
Singles – 6, 4, 3, 2, 1, 5
Team records:
Akron – 8-6
Youngstown State – 6-4
Ball State:
Women's Tennis Loses Close 4-3 Match to FGCU
FORT MEYERS, Fla. - The Ball State women's tennis team lost a close 4-3 match to Florida Gulf Coast Tuesday afternoon at the FGCU Tennis Center. With the loss the Cardinals fall to 7-7 on the season. Ball State got on board first after winning the doubles point. Courtney Wild paired up with Courtney Earnest for the 8-3 win at No. 1, and then Paola Rodriguez and Lauren Pickrel claimed the doubles point after downing their opponent, 8-4.
The Cardinals lost four singles matches to fall behind FGCU and lose the match. Wild locked up a straight set victory at the No. 1 position. Earnest dropped her first set at No. 2 singles but came back to win 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 over Gyanna Mandic. Ashlyn Rang battled at No. 6 singles but lost to Bettina Botha, 6-7, 7-6, 7-6.
The Ball State women's tennis team returns home Friday, March 15 against Oakland University at 5 p.m. Weather permitting the match will be played outdoors at the Cardinal Creek Tennis Center or indoors at the Muncie YMCA Tennis Center.
Women's Tennis Loses to James Madison, 6-1
ORLANDO, Fla. - The Ball State women's tennis team fell to 7-6 on the season after suffering a 6-1 loss at James Madison Monday afternoon in Orlando.
In a match that lasted over four hours, the Cardinals came up short despite their efforts. In doubles action, the No. 1 twosome of Courtney Wild and Courtney Earnest almost won but lost 8-7 (10-6) to Taylor Pinchoff and Michelle Nguyen. Ball State would drop its other two doubles matches to lose the point.
After that, Wild managed a straight set victory at the No. 1 singles position defeating Pinchoff, 6-0, 7-5. At No. 2 singles Earnest was down 5-0 in the first set but battled back to win 6-4. She would drop the next two sets for the loss. Bethany Moore was also down 4-1 in her first set but took the set by a score of 7-6 (7-6) that match also resulted in a loss for the Cardinals.
Eastern Michigan:
Women's Tennis Team Drops 5-2 Match at #56 UC Santa Barbara; Ankita Bhatia and Zsofia Biro each win singles points
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — The Eastern Michigan University women's tennis team won a pair of singles matches in a 5-2 loss to the No. 56 ranked Gauchos of the University of California, Santa Barbara here Friday, March 8, in a non-conference dual match on the Robertson Gym Courts.
The loss gives the Eagles a 5-9 overall record after their three-match swing in California.
"We performed better today," said Head Coach Ryan Ray. "It's dissapointing to go winless on the week. We can return home and focus on the conference season two weeks from today."
Sophomore Ankita Bhatia (Gurgaon, India-Delhi Public Schools) won a singles-point at the No. 4 position, downing Priscilia Garcia, 6-4, 7-5. Junior Zsofia Biro (Pecs, Hungary) followed it up with a 2-6, 7-6, 10-8 win over Erica Cano at the No. 6 slot.
The Eagles return home before opening Mid-American Conference play Friday, March 22, at Western Michigan University. Match time is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Kalamazoo, Mich.
#56 UC Santa Barbara 5, Eastern Michigan 2
Mar 08, 2013 at Santa Barbara, Calif. (Robertson Gym Courts)
Singles competition
1. April Scatliffe (UCSB) def. Nino Mebuke (EMU) 6-4, 6-2
2. Kiersten Meehan (UCSB) def. Klara Supejova (EMU) 2-6, 6-0, 6-3
3. Paola Cos (UCSB) def. Daphne Friedrichs (EMU) 6-3, 6-4
4. Ankita Bhatia (EMU) def. Priscilia Garcia (UCSB) 6-4, 7-5
5. Stacy Yam (UCSB) def. Mariya Toncheva (EMU) 6-2, 6-2
6. Zsofia Biro (EMU) def. Erica Cano (UCSB) 2-6, 7-6, 10-8
Doubles competition
1. Erica Cano/Priscilia Garcia (UCSB) def. Nino Mebuke/Klara Supejova (EMU) 8-4
2. Daphne Friedrichs/Mariya Toncheva (EMU) def. April Scatliffe/Kiersten Meehan (UCSB) 8-5
3. Paola Cos/Stacy Yam (UCSB) def. Ankita Bhatia/Zsofia Biro (EMU) 8-4
Match Notes
Eastern Michigan 5-9
UC Santa Barbara 9-4; National ranking #56
Tennis Drops Decision to No. 41 Long Beach State
Eagles wrap up West Coast Trip Friday, March 8, at UC Santa Barbara
LONG BEACH, Calif. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University women's tennis team stood toe-to-toe with the No. 41 49ers of Long Beach State University, but was unable to score the upset, falling 7-0 on the road Thursday, March 7, at the Rhodes Tennis Center.
"This just wasn't the overall team performance I would have liked to seen today," said Head Coach Ryan Ray. "We played singles first due to incoming rain, and we got out to some early breaks of serve on 2, 4, and 6, but we didn't convert on those first sets. Long Beach has a solid team and they took those leads right back from us. Tomorrow we will look to make big improvements."
The Eagles wrap up their West Coast Trip Friday, March 8, at UC Santa Barbara. First serve is schedule for 12 p.m. PT.
#41 Long Beach State 7, Eastern Michigan 0
Mar 07, 2013 at Long Beach, Calif. (Rhodes Tennis Center)
Singles competition
1. Ebba Unden (LBSU) def. Nino Mebuke (EMU) 6-3, 6-0
2. Klaudia Malenovska (LBSU) def. Klara Supejova (EMU) 7-5, 6-1
3. Sarah Cantlay (LBSU) def. Daphne Friedrichs (EMU) 6-2, 6-2
4. Karolina Rozenberg (LBSU) def. Ankita Bhatia (EMU) 6-3, 6-0
5. Anna Jeczmionka (LBSU) def. Mariya Toncheva (EMU) 6-3, 6-2
6. Anne-Sophie Willems (LBSU) def. Zsofia Biro (EMU) 6-4, 6-3
Doubles competition
1. Ebba Unden/Karolina Rozenberg (LBSU) def. Nino Mebuke/Klara Supejova (EMU) 8-0
2. Sarah Cantlay/Klaudia Malenovska (LBSU) def. Daphne Friedrichs/Mariya Toncheva (EMU) 8-2
3. Anna Jeczmionka/Anne-Sophie Willems (LBSU) def. Ankita Bhatia/Zsofia Biro (EMU) 8-6
Match Notes
Eastern Michigan 5-8
Long Beach State 9-3 (4-1 Big West); National ranking #41
Eagles Dropped by Matadors, 5-2, in Non-Conference Action
Freshman Klara Supejova's winning streak stopped at nine
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. -- The Eastern Michigan University tennis team's West Coast trip opened with a 5-2 non-conference setback to Cal State Northridge Tuesday, March 5, at the Matador Tennis Complex. CSUN (5-2) swept the three doubles matches and captured the top four draws in singles competition to defeat the Eagles (5-7).
The senior tandem of Sabrina Man-Son-Hing and Anna Yang improved to a perfect 7-0 on the year with an 8-2 victory over Nino Mebuke and Klara Supejova. At No. 2, Daphne Friedrichs and Mariya Toncheva fell 8-3, while Ankita Bhatia and Zsofia Biro were knocked off 8-4 in the third position.
In singles action, the CSUN won the top four draws to clinch the victory. Supejova's nine-match winning streak was stopped at No. 2 singles with Anna Yang posting a 6-1, 7-5 decision. Toncheva notched the Eagles' first win at the fifth postion while Biro was declared the victor after Jessica Warren retired in the third set after Toncheva had taken a 3-0 lead.
Eastern Michigan returns to action Thursday, March 7, at at Long Beach State. First serve is scheduled for 2 p.m.
Cal State Northridge 5, Eastern Michigan 2
Mar 05, 2013 at Northridge, Calif. (Matador Tennis Complex)
Singles competition
1. Maria Pistalu (CSUN) def. Nino Mebuke (EMU) 6-3, 3-6, 7-5
2. Anna Yang (CSUN) def. Klara Supejova (EMU) 6-1, 7-5
3. Sabrina Man-Son-Hing (CSUN) def. Daphne Friedrichs (EMU) 6-2, 6-2
4. Lorraine Cheung (CSUN) def. Ankita Bhatia (EMU) 6-1, 6-4
5. Mariya Toncheva (EMU) def. Corinne Schnyder (CSUN) 6-3, 3-6, 10-7
6. Zsofia Biro (EMU) def. Jessica Warren (CSUN) 3-6, 6-0, 3-0, retired
Doubles competition
1. Sabrina Man-Son-Hing/Anna Yang (CSUN) def. Nino Mebuke/Klara Supejova (EMU) 8-2
2. Maria Pistalu/Lorraine Cheung (CSUN) def. Daphne Friedrichs/Mariya Toncheva (EMU) 8-3
3. Corinne Schnyder/Jessica Warren (CSUN) def. Ankita Bhatia/Zsofia Biro (EMU) 8-4
Match Notes
Eastern Michigan 5-7
Cal State Northridge 5-2
Northern Illinois:
UIC Ends Northern Illinois Streak with 6-1 Win; Huskies' Youel Extends Her Singles Unbeaten Streak to 14-0
ROCKFORD, Ill. - The UIC women's tennis team started out strong by claiming the doubles point and went on to take five of six hotly-contested singles matches to halt Northern Illinois' winning streak at nine with a 6-1 win at the Boylan Tennis Courts in Rockford.
The victory extended the Flames' winning streak to seven matches and improved their record to 7-1 on the season. Northern Illinois fell to 12-2 with the loss, its first since Feb. 3.
The Huskies' troubles started in doubles as the Flames won all three matches. At No. 1 doubles, UIC's Haley Craig and Mariana Palacios recorded an 8-7 victory to hand NIU's Nelle Youel and Arantza De La Torre their first loss of the spring.
Youel earned a measure of revenge in singles, scoring a 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 comeback win over Craig at the No. 1 spot to keep her undefeated singles record intact at 14-0. Huskies Cristina Alvarez and Haley Dekkinga took the second sets of their matches at No. 5 and No. 2 singles, respectively. Alvarez dropped the third set to Jana Knoppe of UIC in a 6-3, 0-6, 6-3 loss while Dekkinga fell to the Flames' Natalia Kuvakina in a 10-7 super tie-breaker.
Northern Illinois No. 4 player Mary Malkin fell just short of forcing a third set, falling to Kathryn Sharples 6-3, 7-6.
Despite the loss, NIU Head Coach Ryun Ferrell was pleased with his team's effort and the multiple close matches.
"Give UIC credit, but we came out of the gate so slowly today," Ferrell said. "I think playing as well as we did gives us a lot of confidence going forward. We need to have more discipline in the beginning of the match so we are not playing from behind. It was a solid day, but it also shows us there is a lot more work to be done."
Northern Illinois will play a pair of matches in Kansas next week during spring break. The Huskies take on Missouri-Kansas City on Tuesday, March 12, in Kansas City and play Emporia State on Wednesday, March 13, in Emporia, Kan. in NIU's final non-conference matches of the season.
UIC 6, Northern Illinois 1
Rockford, Illinois
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Doubles
No. 1 Haley Craig/ Mariana Palacios (UIC) def. Nelle Youel/Arantza De La Torre (NIU) - 8-7
No. 2 Kathryn Sharples/ Jana Knoppe (UIC) def. Haley Dekkinga/Stephanie McDonald (NIU) - 8-2
No. 3 Natalia Kuvakina / Ann-Sophie Hahn (UIC) def. Mary Malkin/Cristina Alvarez (NIU) - 8-4
Singles
No. 1 Nelle Youel (NIU) def. Haley Craig (UIC) - 3-6, 6-2, 6-1
No. 2 Natalia Kuvakina (UIC) def. Haley Dekkinga (NIU) - 6-4, 3-6 (10-7)
No. 3 Mariana Palacios (UIC) def. Arantza De La Torre (NIU) - 6-1, 6-1
No. 4 Kathryn Sharples (UIC) def. Mary Malkin (NIU) - 6-3, 7-6
No. 5 Jana Knoppe (UIC) def. Cristina Alvarez (NIU) - 6-3, 0-6, 6-3
No. 6 Keti Mebuke (UIC) def. Stephanie McDonald (NIU) - 6-1, 6-1
Exh. Ann-Sophie Hahn (UIC) def. Maria Rozo (NIU) - 6-1, 6-3
Toledo:
Rockets Cruise Past South Dakota 6-1
KISSIMMEE, FL - The Toledo women's tennis team cruised past South Dakota 6-1 in the final match of the team's Florida Spring Break trip at Poinciana High School. With the win, UT moves to 6-7 on the season and will open Mid-American Conference play at division-rival Bowling Green on Friday, March 22.
"It was good to get this win heading into the MAC season," head coach Tracy Mauntler said. "We improved upon yesterday's performance, which is extremely important this time of year."
The Midnight Blue & Gold dominated from the start in a match that was never close. Sophomore Lexy Pitt and freshman Emily Mazzola ignited the charge with an 8-0 sweep at the top doubles flight.
Freshman Katelyn Nguyen teamed up with senior Silvia Carvajal at No. 2 doubles for the point-clinching win, while sophmore Pia Rygh and junior Chrissy Coffman completed the shutout with a victory in the third flight.
The Rockets kept the momentum going through singles play by winning five of the six matches in straight sets. Rygh claimed the top position 6-3, 6-4 over South Dakota's Pavlovic.
Nguyen and Coffman won at No. 2 and 3 singles, respectively, as Pitt and Bowman captured the final two matches with ease.
Toledo 6, South Dakota 1
Doubles
1. Pitt/Mazzola def. Tortosa/Pavlovic 8-0
2. Nguyen/Carvajal def. Laraibi/Elkin 8-3
3. Rygh/Bowman def. Makashov/Barudzic 8-2
Singles
1. Rygh def. Pavlovic 6-3, 6-4
2. Nguyen def. Elkin 6-3, 7-6(3)
3. Coffman def. Laraibi 7-5, 6-1
4. Barudzic def. Mazzola 7-5, 6-3
5. Pitt def. Makashov 6-2, 6-1
6. Bowman def. Reddy 6-4, 6-1
Rockets Move Past Nova Southeastern in First Outdoor Match
ORLANDO, FL - Toledo snapped a two-match skid with a 5-2 win over No. 17 Nova Southeastern (DII) on Tuesday in the first outdoor match of the season at Lake Cane Tennis Center. UT improves to 5-6 overall and will play its second match of its Florida trip on Wednesday afternoon against James Madison. The match is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. at Fort Gatlin Tennis Center.
"This was a great win against a tough Florida team," head coach Tracy Mauntler said. "It's always a bit intimidating to play your first outdoor match against a team that plays outside all year round. I was impressed by our team's patience with all of the factors that outdoor tennis brings."
The Midnight Blue & Gold fell behind after losing the top doubles match, but came back with wins in the other two matchups to clinch the best-of-three point. Sophomore Lexy Pitt teamed up with freshman Emily Mazzola for the 8-5 victory at No. 2, while sophmore Pia Rygh partnered with freshman Mackenzie Bowman at the final spot to earn an 8-4 win.
The Sharks also started off strong in singles competion, capturing the second flight over junior Chrissy Coffman in straight sets. However, the Rockets answered by claiming four of the other five matches to seal the win.
Rygh notched an impressive three-set victory at the top singles flight. She lost the opening set to Nova's Kierberg 3-6, but came back with a 6-3 victory of her own and took the deciding set in a tiebreaker.
Mazzola also won in three sets, beating Roberts 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 at the No. 4 position.
Nguyen and Pitt each won in straight sets at No. 3 and 5 singles, respectively, while Carvajal went down in the final position in a close 6-4, 7-6(4) straight-set decision.
Toledo 5, Nova Southeastern 2
Doubles
1. Lavallii/Kierberg def. Carvajal/Nguyen 8-3
2. Pitt/Mazzola def. Cote/Johansson 8-5
3. Rygh/Bowman def. Blakwood/Kornienko 8-4
Singles
1. Rygh def. Kierberg 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(4)
2. Johnasson def. Coffman 6-4, 6-4
3. Nguyen def. Cote 6-2, 7-5
4. Mazzola def. Roberts 6-3, 4-6, 7-5
5. Pitt def. Serdyuk 6-3, 6-4
6. Pintado def. Carvajal 6-4, 7-6(4)