Eastern Michigan Athletics
Thursday, October 10
Ann Arbor, Mich.
All Day
Eastern Michigan University
at
ITA Midwest Regional
Photo by: EMU Athletics/Randy Mascharka
Mebuke Moves on in ITA Midwest Singles Draw
10/10/2013 6:00:00 PM | Tennis
There were two singles wins in the qualifying draw
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University tennis team began play at the 2013 Intercollegiate Tennis Assoication (ITA) Midwest Regional Friday, Oct. 10, at the University of Michigan's Varsity Tennis Center. The Eagles had three student-athletes in action for the qualifying singles draw, while a pair were competing in the consolation round on Thursday.
Nino Mebuke (Tbilisi, Georgia-English-Spanish School) received a first round bye after drawing a top-eight spot in the top half of the draw. Daphne Friedrichs (Hufingen, Germany-Elisa Brandstrom Schule) took on Pia Rygh from the University of Toledo. Friedrichs knocked off the fellow Mid-American Conference opponent in two sets.
Ankita Bhatia (Gurgaon, India-Delhi Public Schools) was the only member of the squad to compete in the bottom half of the qualifying draw. After taking the opening set, Bhatia dropped two in a row, falling to the University of Notre Dame's Jane Fennelly in three sets.
Bhatia went on to the consolation round and defeated Kara Sherwood from Cleveland State University in three sets. Although Mariya Toncheva (Burgas, Bulgaria-Sport Scholl Vasil Levski) and Maria Paula Ribero (Bucaramanga, Colombia) were not selected in the qualifying draw, they competed in the consolation round in Ann Arbor. Toncheva took Anastasia Tripolskaya down in two sets, while Ribero could not thwart the play of Valeria Kulikovskaya from the University of Detroit, falling in two frames.
Mebuke and Friedrichs each continued competition in the second round of the qualifying draw. Friedrichs was unable to get an offensive attack going against Michigan's Sara Remynse, falling in straight sets. Mebuke, however, took on Brooke Rischbieth from Northwestern University. Rischbieth took Mebuke to a tiebreaker in the opening set, but the Tbilisi, Georgia native outlasted the NU freshman, taking a one set lead. Mebuke owned the second set, sending Rischbieth packing, 6-2, to win the set and the match.
"I thought we played some good tennis today," remarked Head Coach Ryan Ray. "Mebuke picked up a solid win over a talented freshman from Northwestern. Nino will play in the final round in the morning for a spot in the main draw. We look to continue solid play as we move through the tournament over the next few days."
Mebuke will play for a spot in the main draw Friday, Oct. 11, hitting the court at 9 a.m. to square off with Norte Dame's Julie Vrabel. The doubles main draw begins at 2 p.m. Friday afternoon. Three of the Eagles' doubles duos will be in action. Diana Davitaia (Tbilisi, Georgia-Cowley County Community College) and Ribero will line up against Mayu Sato and Miloslava Shustova from IPFW, while Bhatia and Toncheva will see Eastern Illinois University's Janelle Prisner and Sephora Boulbahaiem. The doubles squad of Mebuke and Klara Supejova (Prague, Czech Republic -Sportovni Gymnazium Klandno) received a bye and will not compete until the second round.
An updated singles draw can be found here.
Doubles main draw and schedule can be found here.
Qualifying Singles
1st Round
Daphne Friedrichs def. Pia Rygh (Toledo) 6-4, 7-6
Julia Fennelly (Notre Dame) def. Ankita Bhatia 5-7, 6-3, 6-2
2nd Round
Nino Mebuke def. Brooke Rischbieth (Northwestern) 6-7, 6-2, 6-4
Sara Remynse (Michigan) def. Daphne Friedrichs 6-1, 6-0
Consolation
Ankita Bhatia def. Kara Sherwood (Cleveland St.), 6-0, 6-7, 1-0(9)
Mariya Toncheva def. Anastasia Tripolskaya (Wisconsin) 6-1, 6-3
Valeria Kulikovskaya (Detroit) def. Maria Paula Ribero 6-2, 6-1
Nino Mebuke (Tbilisi, Georgia-English-Spanish School) received a first round bye after drawing a top-eight spot in the top half of the draw. Daphne Friedrichs (Hufingen, Germany-Elisa Brandstrom Schule) took on Pia Rygh from the University of Toledo. Friedrichs knocked off the fellow Mid-American Conference opponent in two sets.
Ankita Bhatia (Gurgaon, India-Delhi Public Schools) was the only member of the squad to compete in the bottom half of the qualifying draw. After taking the opening set, Bhatia dropped two in a row, falling to the University of Notre Dame's Jane Fennelly in three sets.
Bhatia went on to the consolation round and defeated Kara Sherwood from Cleveland State University in three sets. Although Mariya Toncheva (Burgas, Bulgaria-Sport Scholl Vasil Levski) and Maria Paula Ribero (Bucaramanga, Colombia) were not selected in the qualifying draw, they competed in the consolation round in Ann Arbor. Toncheva took Anastasia Tripolskaya down in two sets, while Ribero could not thwart the play of Valeria Kulikovskaya from the University of Detroit, falling in two frames.
Mebuke and Friedrichs each continued competition in the second round of the qualifying draw. Friedrichs was unable to get an offensive attack going against Michigan's Sara Remynse, falling in straight sets. Mebuke, however, took on Brooke Rischbieth from Northwestern University. Rischbieth took Mebuke to a tiebreaker in the opening set, but the Tbilisi, Georgia native outlasted the NU freshman, taking a one set lead. Mebuke owned the second set, sending Rischbieth packing, 6-2, to win the set and the match.
"I thought we played some good tennis today," remarked Head Coach Ryan Ray. "Mebuke picked up a solid win over a talented freshman from Northwestern. Nino will play in the final round in the morning for a spot in the main draw. We look to continue solid play as we move through the tournament over the next few days."
Mebuke will play for a spot in the main draw Friday, Oct. 11, hitting the court at 9 a.m. to square off with Norte Dame's Julie Vrabel. The doubles main draw begins at 2 p.m. Friday afternoon. Three of the Eagles' doubles duos will be in action. Diana Davitaia (Tbilisi, Georgia-Cowley County Community College) and Ribero will line up against Mayu Sato and Miloslava Shustova from IPFW, while Bhatia and Toncheva will see Eastern Illinois University's Janelle Prisner and Sephora Boulbahaiem. The doubles squad of Mebuke and Klara Supejova (Prague, Czech Republic -Sportovni Gymnazium Klandno) received a bye and will not compete until the second round.
An updated singles draw can be found here.
Doubles main draw and schedule can be found here.
Qualifying Singles
1st Round
Daphne Friedrichs def. Pia Rygh (Toledo) 6-4, 7-6
Julia Fennelly (Notre Dame) def. Ankita Bhatia 5-7, 6-3, 6-2
2nd Round
Nino Mebuke def. Brooke Rischbieth (Northwestern) 6-7, 6-2, 6-4
Sara Remynse (Michigan) def. Daphne Friedrichs 6-1, 6-0
Consolation
Ankita Bhatia def. Kara Sherwood (Cleveland St.), 6-0, 6-7, 1-0(9)
Mariya Toncheva def. Anastasia Tripolskaya (Wisconsin) 6-1, 6-3
Valeria Kulikovskaya (Detroit) def. Maria Paula Ribero 6-2, 6-1
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