Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, March 30
Chippewa Club
1 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
5
vs
2
Ball State
Photo by: Walt Middleton Photography
Women's Tennis Stays Perfect in the MAC
3/30/2012 6:13:00 PM | Tennis
Eagles improve to 2-0 in league play with 5-2 win over Ball State
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Head Coach Ryan Ray's Eastern Michigan University women's tennis team remained perfect in Mid-American Conference dual-match action with a 5-2 win over a visiting Ball State University team here Friday, March 30, indoors at the Chippewa Racket Club.
"We survived today," EMU Head Coach Ryan Ray said. "Ball State brought more intensity and they pushed us hard. We did a good job of closing out two three-set matches in the end to finish the match. We just need to bring support in big matches at the end."
The Eagles, 2-0 in the MAC and 6-11 overall, started the dual with a flurry, winning all three doubles matches by 8-3 scores to take the doubles point. The loss drops Ball State to 5-10 overall and 0-3 in MAC action.
The No. 1 doubles team of Miriam Westerink and Nino Mebuke defeated the Ball State duo of Courtney Wild and Kristel Sanders followed by EMU's No. 2 team of Mariya Toncheva and Georgia de'Lisle-Tarr defeating Ball State's Ashlyn Rang and Sarah Hebble. The No. 3 EMU team of Daphne Friedrichs and Marcela Rivero then handed BSU's duo of Lauren Pickrel and Dena Boulieris the 8-3 setback.
From that point on it was a struggle for the Eagles as they held a slim 3-2 lead after four singles matches after No. 3 player Ankita Bhatia defeated Ball State's Kylee Johnson, 6-1, 6-4, and No. 6 singles player Rivero handed Bouleris a 6-4, 6-1 defeat.
Needing just one point to win the match and two singles duals going to three sets, the Eagles were pushed to the limit and came through on both of those three setters. Westerink recorded a 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 decision over Sanders at No. 2 singles and Friedrichs added the bonus point, making it 5-2, on a 7-5, 2-6, 6-4 win over Rang at No. 4 singles.
EMU will stay home Saturday, March 31, for a 1 p.m. MAC dual at Chippewa Racket Club against the Miami University RedHawks.
Women's intercollegiate tennis result: Friday, March 30, 2012, indoors at the Chippewa Racket Club in Ypsilanti, Mich.
Final Score: Eastern Michigan University 5, Ball State University 2
Doubles
1. Miriam Westerink/Nino Mebuke (EMU) def. Courtney Wild/Kristel Sanders (BSU), 8-3
2. Mariya Toncheva/Georgia de'Lisle-Tarr (EMU) def. Ashlyn Rang/Sarah Hebble (BSU), 8-3
3. Daphne Friedrichs/Marcela Rivero (EMU) def. Dena Boulieris/Lauren Pickrel (BSU), 8-3
Singles
1. Courtney Wild (BSU) def. Nino Mebuke (EMU) 6-4, 6-4
2. Miriam Westerink (EMU) def. Kristel Sanders (BSU) 6-1, 2-6, 6-3
3. Ankita Bhatia (EMU) def. Kylee Johnson (BSU) 6-1, 6-4
4. Daphne Friedrichs (EMU) def. Ashlyn Rang (BSU) 7-5, 2-6, 6-4
5. Sarah Hebble (BSU) def. Mariya Toncheva (EMU) 6-1, 6-4
6. Marcela Rivero (EMU) def. Dena Boulieris (BSU) 6-4, 6-1
"We survived today," EMU Head Coach Ryan Ray said. "Ball State brought more intensity and they pushed us hard. We did a good job of closing out two three-set matches in the end to finish the match. We just need to bring support in big matches at the end."
The Eagles, 2-0 in the MAC and 6-11 overall, started the dual with a flurry, winning all three doubles matches by 8-3 scores to take the doubles point. The loss drops Ball State to 5-10 overall and 0-3 in MAC action.
The No. 1 doubles team of Miriam Westerink and Nino Mebuke defeated the Ball State duo of Courtney Wild and Kristel Sanders followed by EMU's No. 2 team of Mariya Toncheva and Georgia de'Lisle-Tarr defeating Ball State's Ashlyn Rang and Sarah Hebble. The No. 3 EMU team of Daphne Friedrichs and Marcela Rivero then handed BSU's duo of Lauren Pickrel and Dena Boulieris the 8-3 setback.
From that point on it was a struggle for the Eagles as they held a slim 3-2 lead after four singles matches after No. 3 player Ankita Bhatia defeated Ball State's Kylee Johnson, 6-1, 6-4, and No. 6 singles player Rivero handed Bouleris a 6-4, 6-1 defeat.
Needing just one point to win the match and two singles duals going to three sets, the Eagles were pushed to the limit and came through on both of those three setters. Westerink recorded a 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 decision over Sanders at No. 2 singles and Friedrichs added the bonus point, making it 5-2, on a 7-5, 2-6, 6-4 win over Rang at No. 4 singles.
EMU will stay home Saturday, March 31, for a 1 p.m. MAC dual at Chippewa Racket Club against the Miami University RedHawks.
Women's intercollegiate tennis result: Friday, March 30, 2012, indoors at the Chippewa Racket Club in Ypsilanti, Mich.
Final Score: Eastern Michigan University 5, Ball State University 2
Doubles
1. Miriam Westerink/Nino Mebuke (EMU) def. Courtney Wild/Kristel Sanders (BSU), 8-3
2. Mariya Toncheva/Georgia de'Lisle-Tarr (EMU) def. Ashlyn Rang/Sarah Hebble (BSU), 8-3
3. Daphne Friedrichs/Marcela Rivero (EMU) def. Dena Boulieris/Lauren Pickrel (BSU), 8-3
Singles
1. Courtney Wild (BSU) def. Nino Mebuke (EMU) 6-4, 6-4
2. Miriam Westerink (EMU) def. Kristel Sanders (BSU) 6-1, 2-6, 6-3
3. Ankita Bhatia (EMU) def. Kylee Johnson (BSU) 6-1, 6-4
4. Daphne Friedrichs (EMU) def. Ashlyn Rang (BSU) 7-5, 2-6, 6-4
5. Sarah Hebble (BSU) def. Mariya Toncheva (EMU) 6-1, 6-4
6. Marcela Rivero (EMU) def. Dena Boulieris (BSU) 6-4, 6-1
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