Eastern Michigan Athletics
Wednesday, February 26
La Jolla, CA
10 a.m. PT
Eastern Michigan University
at
UC San Diego
Tennis Set for Two in Southern California
2/25/2025 1:05:00 PM | Tennis
Spring Break trip will see EMU take on UC San Diego and UC Riverside
| Spring Dual #10 - at UC SAN DIEGO | |
| Date | Wednesday, February 26 | 2 p.m. ET |
| Venue | Northview Tennis Courts | La Jolla, Calif. |
| Preview Info | EMU Notes |
| Live | n/a |
| @EMUEaglesTennis | @EMUAthletics | |
| Spring Dual #11 - at UC RIVERSIDE | |
| Date | Thursday, February 27 | 1 p.m. ET |
| Venue | SRC Tennis Courts | Riverside, Calif. |
| Preview Info | EMU Notes |
| Live | n/a |
| Tickets | - |
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University tennis team will venture to sunny southern California for a pair of matches this week as the Eagles will play against the University of California San Diego and the University of California Riverside on back-to-back days. First, the Eagles (5-4) and Tritons (4-5, 2-1 Big West) will meet in La Jolla, Calif., Wednesday, Feb. 26, for a 2 p.m. ET (11 a.m. PT) match. The trip ends one day later when the Eagles and Highlanders (2-7, 0-2 Big West) square off in Riverside, Calif., at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT).
FIRST SERVES
» Eastern swept a home doubleheader, Feb. 22, with a 4-2 win over Findlay and a 4-0 sweep of Eastern Illinois. The Eagles have won three consecutive matches after dropping four in a row.
» The Eagles are 6-for-9 in claiming the doubles point this season. EMU claimed 13-of-23 last year, one season removed from earning the point just four times. All told, the Eagles have won 59.4 percent (19-of-32) doubles points under Ryan Kucera.
» Despite not winning the doubles point, the Eagles captured four singles matches to defeat Findlay, 4-2. Daniella Shved clinched the match with her win at No. 1.
» Against the Panthers, Sabina Brichackova and Lara Diaz Zayas combined to win at No. 2 doubles to clinch the point before the Eagles won three consecutive singles matches, including Regina Mendez' clinching victory at No. 5.
» 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.
KNOW THE FOE: UC SAN DIEGO
The Tritons are 4-5 on the year and 2-1 in Big West action entering the week. Prior to dropping a 7-0 road decision at Cal State Fullerton, the Tritons had won three consecutive matches by 4-3 scores, including defeats of Long Beach State and UC Davis in league play before knocking off Utah.
IN THE SERIES: UC SAN DIEGO
The Eagles trail, 0-1, in their all-time series with the Tritons. The first meeting was a 4-3 win in La Jolla, Calif., Feb. 21, 2017.
THE LAST TIME VS. UC SAN DIEGO
The Eagles and Tritons last met Feb. 21, 2017, in the first of a three-match California road trip for Eastern Michigan. The Eagles captured the doubles point for a 1-0 lead before winning at No. 1 and No. 3 singles as Marie Mayerova and Andrea Martinovska secured the wins for EMU, respectively.
KNOW THE FOE: UC RIVERSIDE
The Highlanders, who opened their season on an 11-match home stand, enter the week with a 2-7 record and stand 0-2 in Big West competition. Last week, UCR dropped a 6-1 decision to Hawaii in its Big West opener before falling to UC Irvine, 5-2. The week ended with a 4-1 setback to Nevada.
IN THE SERIES: UC RIVERSIDE
The Eagles and Highlanders are meeting for the first time.
CALIFORNIA DREAMING
The last time the Eagles played in the state of California was in 2017 with a three-match swing that saw Eastern fall in all three matches. The Eagles opened with a 4-3 loss at UC San Diego (Feb. 21) before dropping a 7-0 decision at San Diego State (Feb. 22). The trip ended with a 6-1 setback at Cal State Fullerton (Feb. 24).
LOOKING BACK: HOME SWEEP
EMU played a doubleheader at the Chippewa Club in Ypsilanti Saturday, Feb. 22, with the Eagles collecting a pair of victories, including a 4-2 defeat of Findlay and a 4-0 sweep of Eastern Illinois. The Eagles (5-4) have now won three consecutive matches following their defeats of the Oilers (5-2) and Panthers (2-8).
The Eagles came out on top against a scrappy Findlay team, defeating the Oilers, 4-2. The Eagles fell in a 1-0 hole after Findlay captured the doubles point and were down 2-0 after the Oilers captured a straight-sets win at No. 2 singles. From there, the Eagles ran off four consecutive singles victories to take the team win. Regina Mendez got the Eagles on the board with her 6-1, 6-1 win at No. 6 before Lara Diaz Zayas added the second point with a 6-4, 6-2 win at No. 5. Prerna Vichare followed with a 6-3, 6-4 win at No. 3 before Daniella Shved closed the door with a 7-6(3), 6-3 win at No. 1.
The Eagles took a 1-0 lead against the Panthers by capturing the doubles point. The Eagles received a forfeit win at No. 3 doubles with Mendez and Lily Tria earning the win before Sabina Brichackova and Diaz Zayas combined to win, 6-1, at No. 2. In singles play, a forfeit win for Tria at No. 6 staked the Eagles to a 2-0 lead before Diaz Zayas added her second win of the day, this time with a 6-4, 6-4 victory at No. 4. The match was clinched at No. 5 where Mendez added her second win of the day with a 6-3, 6-4 score.
IN A CLINCH
Viki Hazmukova has been the closer for the Eagles this season as she has won the clinching point for the team twice in three wins with both coming at the No. 2 singles position. Additionally, of the six doubles points won, Hazmukova has been part of four winning teams, pairing with Marta Komar twice and once each with Sabina Brichackova and Iva Daneva.
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 dual at Michigan State (Feb. 2), the Eagles are 6-of-9 in doubles points with four coming at the No. 2 spot and one each at No. 1 and No. 3.
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 have continued to do well in doubles play as each player has accrued 52 career wins with Vichare securing hers against Oakland (Feb. 1). Currently, Miriam Westerink (2008-12) and Avi Gogvadze (2014-18) are tied for 19th with 56 wins, meaning Brichackova and Vichare are four wins from joining the all-time top 20.
ON THE HORIZON
Eastern Michigan will play host the University of Illinois Chicago, March 8, at the Chippewa Club in Ypsilanti. The Eagles and Flames are set to start play at 1 p.m.
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
» Eastern swept a home doubleheader, Feb. 22, with a 4-2 win over Findlay and a 4-0 sweep of Eastern Illinois. The Eagles have won three consecutive matches after dropping four in a row.
» The Eagles are 6-for-9 in claiming the doubles point this season. EMU claimed 13-of-23 last year, one season removed from earning the point just four times. All told, the Eagles have won 59.4 percent (19-of-32) doubles points under Ryan Kucera.
» Despite not winning the doubles point, the Eagles captured four singles matches to defeat Findlay, 4-2. Daniella Shved clinched the match with her win at No. 1.
» Against the Panthers, Sabina Brichackova and Lara Diaz Zayas combined to win at No. 2 doubles to clinch the point before the Eagles won three consecutive singles matches, including Regina Mendez' clinching victory at No. 5.
» 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.
KNOW THE FOE: UC SAN DIEGO
The Tritons are 4-5 on the year and 2-1 in Big West action entering the week. Prior to dropping a 7-0 road decision at Cal State Fullerton, the Tritons had won three consecutive matches by 4-3 scores, including defeats of Long Beach State and UC Davis in league play before knocking off Utah.
IN THE SERIES: UC SAN DIEGO
The Eagles trail, 0-1, in their all-time series with the Tritons. The first meeting was a 4-3 win in La Jolla, Calif., Feb. 21, 2017.
THE LAST TIME VS. UC SAN DIEGO
The Eagles and Tritons last met Feb. 21, 2017, in the first of a three-match California road trip for Eastern Michigan. The Eagles captured the doubles point for a 1-0 lead before winning at No. 1 and No. 3 singles as Marie Mayerova and Andrea Martinovska secured the wins for EMU, respectively.
KNOW THE FOE: UC RIVERSIDE
The Highlanders, who opened their season on an 11-match home stand, enter the week with a 2-7 record and stand 0-2 in Big West competition. Last week, UCR dropped a 6-1 decision to Hawaii in its Big West opener before falling to UC Irvine, 5-2. The week ended with a 4-1 setback to Nevada.
IN THE SERIES: UC RIVERSIDE
The Eagles and Highlanders are meeting for the first time.
CALIFORNIA DREAMING
The last time the Eagles played in the state of California was in 2017 with a three-match swing that saw Eastern fall in all three matches. The Eagles opened with a 4-3 loss at UC San Diego (Feb. 21) before dropping a 7-0 decision at San Diego State (Feb. 22). The trip ended with a 6-1 setback at Cal State Fullerton (Feb. 24).
LOOKING BACK: HOME SWEEP
EMU played a doubleheader at the Chippewa Club in Ypsilanti Saturday, Feb. 22, with the Eagles collecting a pair of victories, including a 4-2 defeat of Findlay and a 4-0 sweep of Eastern Illinois. The Eagles (5-4) have now won three consecutive matches following their defeats of the Oilers (5-2) and Panthers (2-8).
The Eagles came out on top against a scrappy Findlay team, defeating the Oilers, 4-2. The Eagles fell in a 1-0 hole after Findlay captured the doubles point and were down 2-0 after the Oilers captured a straight-sets win at No. 2 singles. From there, the Eagles ran off four consecutive singles victories to take the team win. Regina Mendez got the Eagles on the board with her 6-1, 6-1 win at No. 6 before Lara Diaz Zayas added the second point with a 6-4, 6-2 win at No. 5. Prerna Vichare followed with a 6-3, 6-4 win at No. 3 before Daniella Shved closed the door with a 7-6(3), 6-3 win at No. 1.
The Eagles took a 1-0 lead against the Panthers by capturing the doubles point. The Eagles received a forfeit win at No. 3 doubles with Mendez and Lily Tria earning the win before Sabina Brichackova and Diaz Zayas combined to win, 6-1, at No. 2. In singles play, a forfeit win for Tria at No. 6 staked the Eagles to a 2-0 lead before Diaz Zayas added her second win of the day, this time with a 6-4, 6-4 victory at No. 4. The match was clinched at No. 5 where Mendez added her second win of the day with a 6-3, 6-4 score.
IN A CLINCH
Viki Hazmukova has been the closer for the Eagles this season as she has won the clinching point for the team twice in three wins with both coming at the No. 2 singles position. Additionally, of the six doubles points won, Hazmukova has been part of four winning teams, pairing with Marta Komar twice and once each with Sabina Brichackova and Iva Daneva.
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 dual at Michigan State (Feb. 2), the Eagles are 6-of-9 in doubles points with four coming at the No. 2 spot and one each at No. 1 and No. 3.
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 have continued to do well in doubles play as each player has accrued 52 career wins with Vichare securing hers against Oakland (Feb. 1). Currently, Miriam Westerink (2008-12) and Avi Gogvadze (2014-18) are tied for 19th with 56 wins, meaning Brichackova and Vichare are four wins from joining the all-time top 20.
ON THE HORIZON
Eastern Michigan will play host the University of Illinois Chicago, March 8, at the Chippewa Club in Ypsilanti. The Eagles and Flames are set to start play at 1 p.m.
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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