Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, January 25
Cincinnati, OH
1:30 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
at
Cincinnati
Tennis Travels to Face Cincinnati & Dayton This Weekend
1/23/2025 5:46:00 PM | Tennis
Eagles looking to open the season 4-0 for the first time since the 2002-03 campaign
| Spring Dual #3 - at CINCINNATI | |
| Date | Saturday, January 25 | 1:30 p.m. |
| Venue | Western Athletic Club (Cincinnati) |
| Preview Info | EMU Notes |
| Live | Live Stats | Watch Live |
| @EMUEaglesTennis | @EMUAthletics | |
| Spring Dual #4 - at DAYTON | |
| Date | Sunday, January 26 | 10 a.m. |
| Venue | South Regency Tennis Center (Miamisburg) |
| Preview Info | EMU Notes |
| Live | n/a |
| @EMUEaglesTennis | @EMUAthletics | |
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- After sweeping a home doubleheader to open its season, the Eastern Michigan University tennis team will hit the road this weekend looking to remain undefeated as the Eagles will play at the University of Cincinnati and the University of Dayton. The Eagles (2-0) and Bearcats (1-1) will meet Saturday, Jan. 25, at 1:30 p.m. inside the Western Athletic Club in Cincinnati before the Eagles stop by the South Regency Tennis Center in Miamisburg for a 10 a.m. meeting with the Flyers (1-1) Sunday, Jan. 26.
FIRST SERVES
» Off to a 2-0 start following wins of 7-0 and 4-0 at home against Ferris State (Jan. 18), Eastern will try to move to 4-0 for the first time since the 2002-03 squad opened its season 6-0.
» Eastern is 15-32 in its first road contest of the season and had dropped its last three, including a 7-0 loss at Northwestern.
» A win over Cincinnati, a member of the Big 12 Conference, would mark the Eagles' first win over a Power 4 opponent since Feb. 6, 2004, when Eastern defeated Michigan State of the Big Ten, 4-3.
» The 2025 MAC Preseason Coaches Poll was released Jan. 7 with the Eagles voted to finish third with 35 points while Miami (48) and Toledo (38) were ranked ahead of EMU. Eastern was voted to finish fourth one year ago and did so to earn its first MAC Tournament appearance since 2018.
» The Eagles' 2024-25 roster features 10 players, including six returnees and four newcomers. In total, nine different nations are represented on the roster, including the U.S., Argentina, Czechia, India, Israel, Mexico, North Macedonia, Poland, and Russia.
» Ryan Kucera returns for his second season as the team's head coach and will look to guide the team to the MAC Tournament for the second year in a row, which would mark the first time it has happened since the 2014 and 2015 tournaments.
» Players are not the only addition to the roster this year as the coaching staff has added both Masha Polishchuk and Andrew Dobbs. Polishchuk, a MAC champion during her playing career at Ball State, will serve as a graduate assistant coach while Dobbs will serve as an undergraduate assistant.
LID LIFTING · ROAD OPENER
Eastern is 15-32 all-time in its first road dual of the season and has lost the last three, including a 7-0 setback at Northwestern last year. The last time the Eagles won their first road dual of the season was Jan. 30, 2021, in a 4-3 win at Cleveland State.
LID LIFTING RECAP
With its 7-0 win in the first of two duals with Ferris State, Jan. 18, Eastern improved to 24-24 all-time in its season opener and 13-2 when the opener is played at home. Along with improving to 12-7 when the opening dual of the year came against a fellow Michigan school, the Eagles improved to 30-17 in their home opener.
KNOW THE FOE: CINCINNATI
The Bearcats, members of the Big 12 Conference, are 1-1 on the year after opening the season with a 7-0 home sweep of Eastern Kentucky before falling at Indiana, 6-1. UC was 8-15 last year and fell in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament to Texas Tech, 4-0.
IN THE SERIES: CINCINNATI
The Eagles hold an all-time record of 12-1 against the Bearcats and have won eight in a row in the series dating back to a 5-2 home win, Feb. 10, 2001. The last time EMU visited the Queen City was Feb. 2, 2007, with the Eagles flying home with a 5-2 win, which was the identical score in the most recent meeting, Feb. 13, 2010, in Ypsilanti. The Eagles opened the series in 1982 and won four consecutive meetings before the Bearcats took a 6-3 decision, March 10, 2000, in Cincinnati.
THE LAST TIME VS. CINCINNATI
The Eagles and Bearcats last met Feb. 13, 2010, at the Chippewa Club in Ypsilanti with the host Eagles winning, 5-2. After sweeping all three doubles matches for a 1-0 lead, the Eagles captured singles victories at No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, and No. 6 to claim the team win. Julia Breuss and Miriam Westerink led the way for EMU with an 8-4 win at No. 1 doubles before the duo won their No. 1 and No. 2 singles matches, respectively.
KNOW THE FOE: DAYTON
The Flyers are 1-1 on the year after opening season with a 7-0 loss at Cleveland State before downing Northern Kentucky, 6-1, at home in their most recent match. Dayton went 11-10 last year and advanced to the quarterfinals of the A-10 Tournament as the No. 7 seed where it fell to No. 2-seed St. Louis, 4-0.
IN THE SERIES: DAYTON
Eastern leads the all-time series, 4-1, and has won two in a row, including a 5-2 decision in the last meeting, April 3, 2022, in Dayton. The Eagles are 3-1 when playing at Dayton and have won two in a row on the road that started with a 4-3 win at the Flyers, Feb. 5, 2021.
THE LAST TIME VS. DAYTON
The Eagles and Flyers last met April 3, 2022, in Dayton with Eastern claiming a 5-2 win in the second half of a two-match day on the road that began with a 4-3 MAC loss at Miami. Two current Eagles were part of the most recent victory as Sabina Brichackova and Prerna Vichare, playing in their freshmen seasons, won, 6-1, at No. 1 doubles to help EMU to a 1-0 lead. In singles, the team victory was secured before both finished their matches as Brichackova won at No. 3 (3-6, 7-5, 1-0) and Vichare fell at No. 2 (6-1, 1-6, 0-4).
LOOKING BACK: HOW SWEEP IT IS
Eastern opened its 2025 dual slate with a home doubleheader against Ferris State, Jan. 18, with the Eagles sweeping both matches, 7-0 and 4-0. Eastern swept the doubles point with Viki Hazmukova and Marta Komar combining to win both matches at No. 2. In singles play, Hazmukova won at No. 2 and then at No. 1 with her first victory clinching the dual while Prerna Vichare swept through her matches at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, to help EMU to victory. Rookie Lara Diaz Zayas won her match at No. 5 singles to clinch the team victory in the second dual, meaning a freshman was part of all four clinches on the day with Hazmukova part of the other three (two doubles and one singles).
HOME SWEEP HOME
With their wins over Ferris State (Jan. 18), the Eagles have now won 13 consecutive home duals after going a perfect 11-0 last year. The last time Eastern fell in a home dual was in the finale of the 2022-23 season, a 5-2 setback to Miami, April 16, 2023, at the Chippewa Club.
POINTING IT OUT
During the 2022-23 season, the Eagles won the doubles point just four times in 15 duals (26.7 percent). With Ryan Kucera taking over last year, the 2023-24 squad won 13 doubles points in 23 duals (56.5 percent). Of those 13 wins, five each were secured at the No. 1 and No. 3 positions with the remaining three secured at No. 2. Through the opening weekend of the 2024-25 season, the Eagles are 2-of-2 in doubles points with both coming at the No. 2 spot.
ENDING A DROUGHT?
The goal every year is to win the MAC Tournament and earn a berth into the NCAA Tournament. The last time the Eagles were able to do so came in 2001 when they swept through the MAC Tournament hosted by Marshall with wins over Ball State (4-1), Western Michigan (4-2), and the host Thundering Herd (4-3). EMU advanced to the NCAA First Round where they fell at No. 8 Notre Dame, 0-4.
PRESEASON PROGNOSTICATIONS
The 2025 MAC Preseason Coaches Poll was released Jan. 7 with the Eagles earning 35 points to rank third on the list behind Miami (48 points) and Toledo (38). The remaining rankings, which are based upon votes from the league's coaches, were Northern Illinois (30) in fourth, Ball State (35) fifth, Buffalo (23) sixth, Western Michigan (14) seventh, and Bowling Green (seven) eighth. Additionally, the coaches cast votes on who would win the MAC Tournament, which is slated for April 24-25 in Toledo, Ohio, with Miami earning five votes while EMU, Buffalo, and Toledo each earned one.
In Ryan Kucera's first season with the Eagles (2023-24), Eastern was voted tied for fourth in the preseason before finishing fourth and earning a berth in the MAC Tournament for the first time since 2018. EMU dropped a 4-3 decision to host Toledo in the semifinals.
LOOKING TO REPEAT
Last year, the Eagles finished fourth in the conference standings to earn the fourth and final position in the MAC Tournament, the team's first appearance in the conference event since the 2018 championships. Should Eastern return to the tournament this year, it would mark the first time the Eagles have qualified for the MAC Tournament in back-to-back seasons since earning berths in the 2014 and 2015 events. Eastern lost to Miami, 4-2, in the final of the 2014 event before falling to the RedHawks, 4-1, in the semifinals one year later.
HITTING THE CENTURY MARK
Sabina Brichackova captured two wins at the MAC Fall Individuals in Hamilton, Ohio, Oct. 24-27, to record the 99th and 100th combined wins of her career. The senior is the first to reach 100 wins in a career since the 2017-18 season when both Ani Gogvadze (117) and Andrea Matrinovska (111) capped their careers in Ypsilanti.
UP THE LADDER
Sabina Brichackova and doubles partner Prerna Vichare reached the finals at the MAC Fall Individuals, Oct. 24-27, and finished as the runners-up in the inaugural event. With the two wins they collected, each moved closer to the all-time top 20 in doubles wins as they have 49 and 48, respectively. Currently, Miriam Westerink (2008-12) and Avi Gogvadze (2014-18) are tied for 19th with 56 wins, meaning Brichackova and Vichare are seven and eight wins, respectively, from joining the all-time top 20.
ON THE HORIZON
Two duals against Michigan schools await the Eagles next weekend with one each at home and away. The weekend opens Saturday, Feb. 1, with the Oakland University Golden Grizzlies coming to the Chippewa Club for a 1 p.m. contest. The Eagles will then travel north to East Lansing, Mich., for a 4 p.m. meeting with Michigan State University Sunday, Feb. 2.
FOLLOW US
For all things EMU Tennis, be sure to check out the team's social media accounts, including EMUEaglesTennis on X (formerly Twitter) and EMU_Tennis on Instagram.
FIRST SERVES
» Off to a 2-0 start following wins of 7-0 and 4-0 at home against Ferris State (Jan. 18), Eastern will try to move to 4-0 for the first time since the 2002-03 squad opened its season 6-0.
» Eastern is 15-32 in its first road contest of the season and had dropped its last three, including a 7-0 loss at Northwestern.
» A win over Cincinnati, a member of the Big 12 Conference, would mark the Eagles' first win over a Power 4 opponent since Feb. 6, 2004, when Eastern defeated Michigan State of the Big Ten, 4-3.
» The 2025 MAC Preseason Coaches Poll was released Jan. 7 with the Eagles voted to finish third with 35 points while Miami (48) and Toledo (38) were ranked ahead of EMU. Eastern was voted to finish fourth one year ago and did so to earn its first MAC Tournament appearance since 2018.
» The Eagles' 2024-25 roster features 10 players, including six returnees and four newcomers. In total, nine different nations are represented on the roster, including the U.S., Argentina, Czechia, India, Israel, Mexico, North Macedonia, Poland, and Russia.
» Ryan Kucera returns for his second season as the team's head coach and will look to guide the team to the MAC Tournament for the second year in a row, which would mark the first time it has happened since the 2014 and 2015 tournaments.
» Players are not the only addition to the roster this year as the coaching staff has added both Masha Polishchuk and Andrew Dobbs. Polishchuk, a MAC champion during her playing career at Ball State, will serve as a graduate assistant coach while Dobbs will serve as an undergraduate assistant.
LID LIFTING · ROAD OPENER
Eastern is 15-32 all-time in its first road dual of the season and has lost the last three, including a 7-0 setback at Northwestern last year. The last time the Eagles won their first road dual of the season was Jan. 30, 2021, in a 4-3 win at Cleveland State.
LID LIFTING RECAP
With its 7-0 win in the first of two duals with Ferris State, Jan. 18, Eastern improved to 24-24 all-time in its season opener and 13-2 when the opener is played at home. Along with improving to 12-7 when the opening dual of the year came against a fellow Michigan school, the Eagles improved to 30-17 in their home opener.
KNOW THE FOE: CINCINNATI
The Bearcats, members of the Big 12 Conference, are 1-1 on the year after opening the season with a 7-0 home sweep of Eastern Kentucky before falling at Indiana, 6-1. UC was 8-15 last year and fell in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament to Texas Tech, 4-0.
IN THE SERIES: CINCINNATI
The Eagles hold an all-time record of 12-1 against the Bearcats and have won eight in a row in the series dating back to a 5-2 home win, Feb. 10, 2001. The last time EMU visited the Queen City was Feb. 2, 2007, with the Eagles flying home with a 5-2 win, which was the identical score in the most recent meeting, Feb. 13, 2010, in Ypsilanti. The Eagles opened the series in 1982 and won four consecutive meetings before the Bearcats took a 6-3 decision, March 10, 2000, in Cincinnati.
THE LAST TIME VS. CINCINNATI
The Eagles and Bearcats last met Feb. 13, 2010, at the Chippewa Club in Ypsilanti with the host Eagles winning, 5-2. After sweeping all three doubles matches for a 1-0 lead, the Eagles captured singles victories at No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, and No. 6 to claim the team win. Julia Breuss and Miriam Westerink led the way for EMU with an 8-4 win at No. 1 doubles before the duo won their No. 1 and No. 2 singles matches, respectively.
KNOW THE FOE: DAYTON
The Flyers are 1-1 on the year after opening season with a 7-0 loss at Cleveland State before downing Northern Kentucky, 6-1, at home in their most recent match. Dayton went 11-10 last year and advanced to the quarterfinals of the A-10 Tournament as the No. 7 seed where it fell to No. 2-seed St. Louis, 4-0.
IN THE SERIES: DAYTON
Eastern leads the all-time series, 4-1, and has won two in a row, including a 5-2 decision in the last meeting, April 3, 2022, in Dayton. The Eagles are 3-1 when playing at Dayton and have won two in a row on the road that started with a 4-3 win at the Flyers, Feb. 5, 2021.
THE LAST TIME VS. DAYTON
The Eagles and Flyers last met April 3, 2022, in Dayton with Eastern claiming a 5-2 win in the second half of a two-match day on the road that began with a 4-3 MAC loss at Miami. Two current Eagles were part of the most recent victory as Sabina Brichackova and Prerna Vichare, playing in their freshmen seasons, won, 6-1, at No. 1 doubles to help EMU to a 1-0 lead. In singles, the team victory was secured before both finished their matches as Brichackova won at No. 3 (3-6, 7-5, 1-0) and Vichare fell at No. 2 (6-1, 1-6, 0-4).
LOOKING BACK: HOW SWEEP IT IS
Eastern opened its 2025 dual slate with a home doubleheader against Ferris State, Jan. 18, with the Eagles sweeping both matches, 7-0 and 4-0. Eastern swept the doubles point with Viki Hazmukova and Marta Komar combining to win both matches at No. 2. In singles play, Hazmukova won at No. 2 and then at No. 1 with her first victory clinching the dual while Prerna Vichare swept through her matches at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, to help EMU to victory. Rookie Lara Diaz Zayas won her match at No. 5 singles to clinch the team victory in the second dual, meaning a freshman was part of all four clinches on the day with Hazmukova part of the other three (two doubles and one singles).
HOME SWEEP HOME
With their wins over Ferris State (Jan. 18), the Eagles have now won 13 consecutive home duals after going a perfect 11-0 last year. The last time Eastern fell in a home dual was in the finale of the 2022-23 season, a 5-2 setback to Miami, April 16, 2023, at the Chippewa Club.
POINTING IT OUT
During the 2022-23 season, the Eagles won the doubles point just four times in 15 duals (26.7 percent). With Ryan Kucera taking over last year, the 2023-24 squad won 13 doubles points in 23 duals (56.5 percent). Of those 13 wins, five each were secured at the No. 1 and No. 3 positions with the remaining three secured at No. 2. Through the opening weekend of the 2024-25 season, the Eagles are 2-of-2 in doubles points with both coming at the No. 2 spot.
ENDING A DROUGHT?
The goal every year is to win the MAC Tournament and earn a berth into the NCAA Tournament. The last time the Eagles were able to do so came in 2001 when they swept through the MAC Tournament hosted by Marshall with wins over Ball State (4-1), Western Michigan (4-2), and the host Thundering Herd (4-3). EMU advanced to the NCAA First Round where they fell at No. 8 Notre Dame, 0-4.
PRESEASON PROGNOSTICATIONS
The 2025 MAC Preseason Coaches Poll was released Jan. 7 with the Eagles earning 35 points to rank third on the list behind Miami (48 points) and Toledo (38). The remaining rankings, which are based upon votes from the league's coaches, were Northern Illinois (30) in fourth, Ball State (35) fifth, Buffalo (23) sixth, Western Michigan (14) seventh, and Bowling Green (seven) eighth. Additionally, the coaches cast votes on who would win the MAC Tournament, which is slated for April 24-25 in Toledo, Ohio, with Miami earning five votes while EMU, Buffalo, and Toledo each earned one.
In Ryan Kucera's first season with the Eagles (2023-24), Eastern was voted tied for fourth in the preseason before finishing fourth and earning a berth in the MAC Tournament for the first time since 2018. EMU dropped a 4-3 decision to host Toledo in the semifinals.
LOOKING TO REPEAT
Last year, the Eagles finished fourth in the conference standings to earn the fourth and final position in the MAC Tournament, the team's first appearance in the conference event since the 2018 championships. Should Eastern return to the tournament this year, it would mark the first time the Eagles have qualified for the MAC Tournament in back-to-back seasons since earning berths in the 2014 and 2015 events. Eastern lost to Miami, 4-2, in the final of the 2014 event before falling to the RedHawks, 4-1, in the semifinals one year later.
HITTING THE CENTURY MARK
Sabina Brichackova captured two wins at the MAC Fall Individuals in Hamilton, Ohio, Oct. 24-27, to record the 99th and 100th combined wins of her career. The senior is the first to reach 100 wins in a career since the 2017-18 season when both Ani Gogvadze (117) and Andrea Matrinovska (111) capped their careers in Ypsilanti.
UP THE LADDER
Sabina Brichackova and doubles partner Prerna Vichare reached the finals at the MAC Fall Individuals, Oct. 24-27, and finished as the runners-up in the inaugural event. With the two wins they collected, each moved closer to the all-time top 20 in doubles wins as they have 49 and 48, respectively. Currently, Miriam Westerink (2008-12) and Avi Gogvadze (2014-18) are tied for 19th with 56 wins, meaning Brichackova and Vichare are seven and eight wins, respectively, from joining the all-time top 20.
ON THE HORIZON
Two duals against Michigan schools await the Eagles next weekend with one each at home and away. The weekend opens Saturday, Feb. 1, with the Oakland University Golden Grizzlies coming to the Chippewa Club for a 1 p.m. contest. The Eagles will then travel north to East Lansing, Mich., for a 4 p.m. meeting with Michigan State University Sunday, Feb. 2.
FOLLOW US
For all things EMU Tennis, be sure to check out the team's social media accounts, including EMUEaglesTennis on X (formerly Twitter) and EMU_Tennis on Instagram.
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