Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, March 23
Ypsilanti, Mich.
1 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
4
vs
3
Akron
EMU Tennis Rallies to Upend Akron, 4-3
3/23/2018 5:28:00 PM | Tennis
Eastern has now won nine in a row and has 11 wins on the season
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University tennis team mounted an epic comeback for its first win in Mid-American Conference play of the 2018 season, downing the University of Akron 4-3 at the Chippewa Racquet Club.
Freshman Natalia Regalado (Alicante, Spain-IES Figueras Pacheco) came up with a clutch win at No. 5 singles to clinch the match for EMU. With the score tied, the rookie battled to a 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 victory and helped the Eagles to their ninth win in a row.
"This was a fantastic way to start the conference season," said head coach Jayson Wiseman. "Akron is an extremely tough team and we had to play at the top of our game today. I'm extremely proud of the way our team came out and fought from the first point to the last."
The Zips (11-8, 0-1 MAC) took early control of the match, winning the doubles' point with wins at No. 2 and No. 3. After a win at No. 2 singles, the Eagles (11-3, 1-0 MAC) began their comeback. Freshman Giuliana Ansaloni (Bergamo, Italy-Centro Studi Leonardo Da Vinci) came away with a 7-5, 6-3 win at No. 3, and senior Ani Gogvadze (Tbilisi, Georgia-Khikhani) followed suit with a 7-5, 6-3 victory at No. 1.
With Akron winning at No. 4, Eastern had no room for error in the remaining matches. Senior Alejandra Barcelo Almoyna (Alicante, Spain-IES Figueras Pacheco) battled back from a 0-6 defeat in the first set and pulled out a 6-2, 6-3 victory to even the match at 3-3 and set the table for Regalado's heroics.
"We were struggling with a couple players who are feeling under the weather, but we dug deep and were able to scrap out a win," said Wiseman. "Our freshmen played some great clutch points, and Ani and Alejandra did a great job of rallying from early deficits to score huge wins at No. 1 and No. 6. I couldn't be more proud of how our team responded to the adversity of this week to come out and score a great first MAC victory."
Eastern Michigan continues its Mid-American Conference play with a match Sunday, March 25 against the University at Buffalo at 1 p.m. at the Chippewa Racquet Club. Later that evening, the Eagles return to non-conference play as they take on Northwood University at the University of Michigan's Varsity Tennis Center, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Singles
Ani Gogvadze def.Rita Pedroso, 7-5, 6-3
Miruna Vasilescu def. Marie Mayerova, 6-1, 6-1
Giuliana Ansaloni def. Carli Knezevich, 7-5, 6-3
Luisa Echeverry def. Andrea Martinovska, 6-0, 6-7, 6-3
Natalia Regalado def. Anna Uljanov, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4
Alejandra Barcelo Almoyna def. Madison Wolf, 0-6, 6-2, 6-3
Doubles
Ani Gogvadze/Marie Mayerova def. Anna Uljanov/Rita Pedroso, 6-3
Luisa Echeverry/Miruna Vasilescu def. Andrea Martinovska/Anna Veleva, 6-4
Carli Knezevich/Waverly Wituski def. Giuliana Ansaloni/Natalia Regalado, 6-2
Freshman Natalia Regalado (Alicante, Spain-IES Figueras Pacheco) came up with a clutch win at No. 5 singles to clinch the match for EMU. With the score tied, the rookie battled to a 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 victory and helped the Eagles to their ninth win in a row.
"This was a fantastic way to start the conference season," said head coach Jayson Wiseman. "Akron is an extremely tough team and we had to play at the top of our game today. I'm extremely proud of the way our team came out and fought from the first point to the last."
The Zips (11-8, 0-1 MAC) took early control of the match, winning the doubles' point with wins at No. 2 and No. 3. After a win at No. 2 singles, the Eagles (11-3, 1-0 MAC) began their comeback. Freshman Giuliana Ansaloni (Bergamo, Italy-Centro Studi Leonardo Da Vinci) came away with a 7-5, 6-3 win at No. 3, and senior Ani Gogvadze (Tbilisi, Georgia-Khikhani) followed suit with a 7-5, 6-3 victory at No. 1.
With Akron winning at No. 4, Eastern had no room for error in the remaining matches. Senior Alejandra Barcelo Almoyna (Alicante, Spain-IES Figueras Pacheco) battled back from a 0-6 defeat in the first set and pulled out a 6-2, 6-3 victory to even the match at 3-3 and set the table for Regalado's heroics.
"We were struggling with a couple players who are feeling under the weather, but we dug deep and were able to scrap out a win," said Wiseman. "Our freshmen played some great clutch points, and Ani and Alejandra did a great job of rallying from early deficits to score huge wins at No. 1 and No. 6. I couldn't be more proud of how our team responded to the adversity of this week to come out and score a great first MAC victory."
Eastern Michigan continues its Mid-American Conference play with a match Sunday, March 25 against the University at Buffalo at 1 p.m. at the Chippewa Racquet Club. Later that evening, the Eagles return to non-conference play as they take on Northwood University at the University of Michigan's Varsity Tennis Center, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Singles
Ani Gogvadze def.Rita Pedroso, 7-5, 6-3
Miruna Vasilescu def. Marie Mayerova, 6-1, 6-1
Giuliana Ansaloni def. Carli Knezevich, 7-5, 6-3
Luisa Echeverry def. Andrea Martinovska, 6-0, 6-7, 6-3
Natalia Regalado def. Anna Uljanov, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4
Alejandra Barcelo Almoyna def. Madison Wolf, 0-6, 6-2, 6-3
Doubles
Ani Gogvadze/Marie Mayerova def. Anna Uljanov/Rita Pedroso, 6-3
Luisa Echeverry/Miruna Vasilescu def. Andrea Martinovska/Anna Veleva, 6-4
Carli Knezevich/Waverly Wituski def. Giuliana Ansaloni/Natalia Regalado, 6-2
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
3,1,2
#1 Singles Match
12
Rita Pedroso / 0 [AKRON]
53
76
#2 Singles Match
12
Miruna Vasilescu / 0 [AKRON]
66
11
#3 Singles Match
12
Carli Knezevich / 0 [AKRON]
53
76
#4 Singles Match
123
Luisa Echeverry / 0 [AKRON]
666
073
#5 Singles Match
123
Anna Uljanov / 0 [AKRON]
274
656
#6 Singles Match
123
Madison Wolfe / 0 [AKRON]
623
066
Order of Finish:
2,3,1,4,6,5
Players Mentioned
/ Tennis
/ Tennis
/ Tennis
/ Tennis
/ Tennis
/ Tennis
/ Tennis
Tennis Senior Day Highlights 2025 vs. BGSU
Sunday, April 13
Tennis Recap vs. NIU
Saturday, April 12
Highlights: EMU Falls to Miami in Close 4-3 Match
Monday, March 31
Tennis Claws Back to Defeat Ball State, 4-3
Monday, March 24