Eagles Drop Heartbreaker to Akron

YPSILANTI, Mich.—The Eastern Michigan University women's tennis team dropped a 4-3 Mid-American Conference heartbreaker to the University of Akron Saturday afternoon, March 21, at the Chippewa Racquet Club. With the loss, the Eagles fall to 3-11 overall and 0-2 in MAC play, while the Zips improve to 12-4 overall and 1-1 in conference action.

"This was a heartbreaking loss, said head coach Ryan Ray. “I knew Akron would give us a very close match. Even though the girls played hard its still disappointing to lose this one as we will need to find a way to step up to gain wins later in the conference to make up for this loss."

The Eagles picked up a win in doubles competition with the duo of Karina Ahuja (New Delhi, India) and Xu Chang (Beijing, China) easily defeated Tanya Gombero and Kerry Langworthy by an 8-3 mark, but the Zips were able to take the remaining doubles matches, taking the 1-0 lead heading into singles competition.

EMU rallied coming out of singles, rolling off three singles wins from Chang, Joanna Woo (Winnipeg, Manitoba) and Marcela Rivero (Santa Cruz, Bolivia), but Akron clinched three singles matches to take the 4-3 match win.

The Eagles will return to action Friday, March 27, to take on instate rival Western Michigan University. First serve is set for 1 p.m. in Kalamazoo, Mich.

Akron 4, Eastern Mich. 3

Singles competition

1. Zara Hartuyunan (UA) def. Miriam Westerink (EMU) 6-1, 6-0

2. Anna Baronayte (UA) def. Karina Ahuja (EMU) 6-4, 6-3

3. Xu Chang (EMU) def. Tanyaradzwa Gombero (UA) 6-1, 6-1

4. Joanna Woo (EMU) def. Jeremie Benjamin (UA) 6-2, 6-4

5. Marcela Rivero (EMU) def. Kerry Langworthy (UA) 7-6, 6-4

6. Lindsey Berry (UA) def. Rumbidzai Muskwe (EMU) 6-1, 6-0

Doubles competition

1. Zara Hartuyunan/Anna Baronayte (UA) def. Miriam Westerink/Joanna Woo (EMU) 8-2

2. Karina Ahuja/Xu Chang (EMU) def. Tanyaradzwa Gombero/Kerry Langworthy (UA) 8-3

3. Jeremie Benjamin/Lindsey Berry (UA) def. Marcela Rivero/Rumbidzai Muskwe (EMU) 8-6

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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