Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, March 28
Chippewa Club
1 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
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vs
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Western Michigan
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Biro Clinches Third Straight MAC Win for Eastern Michigan
3/28/2014 6:05:00 PM | Tennis
The Eagles came from behind to extend its record to 3-0 in conference play
Box Score
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's tennis team defeated Western Michigan University for the first time since the 2004 season, ending a 12- match losing skid to the Broncos Friday, March 28. EMU (10-6, 3-0 MAC) came back from trailing 1-0 after doubles play to take away a 4-3 decision from Western (11-6, 0-2 MAC) after Zsofia Biro won in a three set triumph to seal the match for the Green and White.
The Eagles dropped the doubles point after taking one-of-three hard-fought matches. The Green and White saw reigning Mid-American Conference Doubles Team of the Week, Nino Mebuke and Klara Supejova, conquer Caroline Aleck and Kathleen Hawkins, 8-5, in the No. 1 match. Meanwhile, Diana Davitaia and Maria Paula Ribero were on the losing end of an 8-5 decision. It came down to the No. 3-doubles match, where Biro and Mariya Toncheva looked to be in control, but Tracy Kuhle and Nini Sujashvili came back to take the match by an 8-7 tally, earning Western Michigan a 1-0 lead heading into singles play.
Eastern went into singles action needing to win four of its six matches, and the Eagles did just that. Mebuke starting things off by topping Meika Ashby easily, 6-2, 6-1, at No. 3 singles to knot things up at one point apiece. Davitaia followed suit when she knocked off Hawkins in the No. 2 spot, giving EMU a 2-1 lead. However, shortly after Davitaia walked off the court victorious, the Broncos evened up the score 2-2 when Supejova dropped a 6-4, 7-5 decision in the No. 1 spot.
Daphne Friedrichs returned the lead to the Green and White after taking a difficult 7-6 win in the opening set, before cruising to a 6-2 victory in the second frame at No. 5. The overall result came down to the final two matches of the afternoon. Toncheva dropped her first set, 6-2, but rebounded with an easy 6-2 victory of her own. After evening up the match, she was unable to hold off Aleck, falling 6-3, in the final set, leaving the chance at victory in the hands of Biro in the No. 6 match.
Biro won her first set, 6-4, versus Yuriko Ono, but was unable to withstand her in the second, falling 7-6. Into the final set, she took a 5-2 lead before she rattled off two sets in a row to clinch the Eagles' third MAC win.
"This was over a four and a half hour battle as expected," said Head Coach Ryan Ray. "Western has a great program, so we know that this is a good win for us. We let the doubles point slip away, but the ladies responded with intensity in singles and I can't think of anyone that I'd rather have clinch the last match than Zsofia. Her focus and intensity are superb. We will have an equally tough match tomorrow and will need to be ready."
Eastern continues its schedule Saturday, March 29, when it hosts Bowling Green State University at the Chippewa Racquet Club. First serve is slated for 1 p.m.
Doubles
1. Mebuke/Supejova (EMU) def. Aleck/Hawkins (WMU), 8-5
2. Ashby/Ono (WMU) def. Davitaia/Ribero (EMU), 8-5
3. Kuhle/Sujashvili (WMU) def. Biro/Toncheva (EMU), 8-7
Singles
1. Nini Suhasvili (WMU) def. Klara Supejova (EMU) 6-4, 7-5
2. Diana Davitaia (EMU) def. Kathleen Hawkins (WMU), 6-2, 6-4
3. Nino Mebuke (EMU) def. Meika Ashby (WMU) 6-2, 6-1
4. Caroline Aleck (WMU) def. Mariya Toncheva (EMU) 6-2, 2-6, 6-3
5. Daphne Friedrichs (EMU) def. Tracy Kuhle (WMU) 7-6, 6-2
6. Zsofia Biro (EMU) def. Yuriko Ono (WMU) 6-4, 6-7, 6-2
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's tennis team defeated Western Michigan University for the first time since the 2004 season, ending a 12- match losing skid to the Broncos Friday, March 28. EMU (10-6, 3-0 MAC) came back from trailing 1-0 after doubles play to take away a 4-3 decision from Western (11-6, 0-2 MAC) after Zsofia Biro won in a three set triumph to seal the match for the Green and White.
The Eagles dropped the doubles point after taking one-of-three hard-fought matches. The Green and White saw reigning Mid-American Conference Doubles Team of the Week, Nino Mebuke and Klara Supejova, conquer Caroline Aleck and Kathleen Hawkins, 8-5, in the No. 1 match. Meanwhile, Diana Davitaia and Maria Paula Ribero were on the losing end of an 8-5 decision. It came down to the No. 3-doubles match, where Biro and Mariya Toncheva looked to be in control, but Tracy Kuhle and Nini Sujashvili came back to take the match by an 8-7 tally, earning Western Michigan a 1-0 lead heading into singles play.
Eastern went into singles action needing to win four of its six matches, and the Eagles did just that. Mebuke starting things off by topping Meika Ashby easily, 6-2, 6-1, at No. 3 singles to knot things up at one point apiece. Davitaia followed suit when she knocked off Hawkins in the No. 2 spot, giving EMU a 2-1 lead. However, shortly after Davitaia walked off the court victorious, the Broncos evened up the score 2-2 when Supejova dropped a 6-4, 7-5 decision in the No. 1 spot.
Daphne Friedrichs returned the lead to the Green and White after taking a difficult 7-6 win in the opening set, before cruising to a 6-2 victory in the second frame at No. 5. The overall result came down to the final two matches of the afternoon. Toncheva dropped her first set, 6-2, but rebounded with an easy 6-2 victory of her own. After evening up the match, she was unable to hold off Aleck, falling 6-3, in the final set, leaving the chance at victory in the hands of Biro in the No. 6 match.
Biro won her first set, 6-4, versus Yuriko Ono, but was unable to withstand her in the second, falling 7-6. Into the final set, she took a 5-2 lead before she rattled off two sets in a row to clinch the Eagles' third MAC win.
"This was over a four and a half hour battle as expected," said Head Coach Ryan Ray. "Western has a great program, so we know that this is a good win for us. We let the doubles point slip away, but the ladies responded with intensity in singles and I can't think of anyone that I'd rather have clinch the last match than Zsofia. Her focus and intensity are superb. We will have an equally tough match tomorrow and will need to be ready."
Eastern continues its schedule Saturday, March 29, when it hosts Bowling Green State University at the Chippewa Racquet Club. First serve is slated for 1 p.m.
Doubles
1. Mebuke/Supejova (EMU) def. Aleck/Hawkins (WMU), 8-5
2. Ashby/Ono (WMU) def. Davitaia/Ribero (EMU), 8-5
3. Kuhle/Sujashvili (WMU) def. Biro/Toncheva (EMU), 8-7
Singles
1. Nini Suhasvili (WMU) def. Klara Supejova (EMU) 6-4, 7-5
2. Diana Davitaia (EMU) def. Kathleen Hawkins (WMU), 6-2, 6-4
3. Nino Mebuke (EMU) def. Meika Ashby (WMU) 6-2, 6-1
4. Caroline Aleck (WMU) def. Mariya Toncheva (EMU) 6-2, 2-6, 6-3
5. Daphne Friedrichs (EMU) def. Tracy Kuhle (WMU) 7-6, 6-2
6. Zsofia Biro (EMU) def. Yuriko Ono (WMU) 6-4, 6-7, 6-2
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