The University of Akron Athletics
Tennis Regains Momentum, Tops Bowling Green 6-1
April 10 | Women's Tennis
AKRON, Ohio – Behind a sweep of the
doubles competition and straight-set victories at three singles
spots, the University of Akron tennis team posted a 6-1 win over
Bowling Green on Friday in Mid-American Conference action at
LaTuchie Tennis Center.
Akron (15-5, 4-2 MAC) has now been the victor in four of its last
five and nine of its last 11 matches. Further, today's win was the
Zips' first over Bowling Green (10-5, 3-2 MAC) since consecutive
victories in 1992 and '93, and just their third ever versus the
Falcons. In the 16 meetings between the Zips' 1993 win over BGSU
and today's victory, the Falcons had outscored UA 104-13. Bowling
Green was picked to finish ahead of Akron in the league's preseason
coaches poll and has advanced to the semifinals of the MAC
Tournament in each of the last two seasons.
UA's four wins in league play are its most ever in a season (first
competed in the MAC in 1993). After suffering its first shutout
loss of the season at Miami (Ohio) last Saturday, today's win
assured UA of a bye in the upcoming conference tournament, to be
held on April 23-26 on the campus of Bowling Green.
"I'm incredibly proud of our team effort today," third-year Akron
head coach Jeffrey Wyshner said. "This is certainly the
biggest win for the program in the time I have been coach and
probably the biggest in 10-15 years. Particularly exciting is how
we did it – with such a dominating performance."
The Zips won the doubles point for the 10th time in the last 11
matches, behind an 8-3 win at No. 1 by Zara
Harutyunyan and Anna Baronayte, an 8-4 decision at No. 2 by
Tanyaradzwa Gombera and Carolina
Castro Cota and an 8-7 (1) victory at No. 3 by Lindsey
Berry and Jeremie Benjamin. Harutyunyan and Baronayte won
as a pair for the 24th time in 25 outings.
In singles play, the Zips notched straight-set decisions at three
of the five positions it claimed. Baronayte scored a 7-5, 6-0 win
at No. 2, Gombera a 6-4, 6-1 margin at No. 3 and Castro Cota a 6-1,
6-2 tally at No. 6. After losing 7-5 in the first set at No. 1,
Harutyunyan rallied with 6-1 and 6-2 wins to earn her team another
point. Kerry Langworthy was also a three-set winner for
UA at No. 5. She won her first set 6-4, lost the second 6-4 and won
the third 6-4. Benjamin fell to BGSU's Katia Babina 6-0, 6-2 at No.
4.
Akron returns to the court tomorrow at 1 p.m. EDT, playing host to
70th-ranked Western Michigan (17-6, 4-1 MAC) at LaTuchie Tennis
Center (driving directions). The Broncos lost 4-3 at
Buffalo on Friday afternoon, ending a four-match win streak and a
stretch of 38-straight victories over MAC regular-season
opponents.
RESULTS
Akron 6, Bowling Green 1
Doubles
1. Harutyunyan/Baronayte (UA) def. Jakupcin/Harrison (BGSU) 8-3
2. Gombera/Castro Cota (UA) def. Menoff/Chiricosta (BGSU) 8-4
3. Berry/Benjamin (UA) def. Kintzel/Babina (BGSU) 8-7 (1)
Singles
1. Zara Harutyunyan (UA) def. Kelsey Jakupcin (BGSU)
5-7, 6-1, 6-2
2. Anna Baronayte (UA) def. Christine Chiricosta
(BGSU) 7-5, 6-0
3. Tanyaradzwa Gombera (UA) def. Samantha Kintzel
(BGSU) 6-4, 6-1
4. Katia Babina (BGSU) def. Jeremie
Benjamin (UA) 6-0, 6-2
5. Kerry Langworthy (UA) def. Stefanie Menoff (BGSU)
6-4, 4-6, 6-4
6. Carolina Castro Cota (UA) def. Libby Harrison
(BGSU) 6-1, 6-2
---
Exh. Alyssa Carlson (UA) def. Jessica Easdale
(BGSU) 8-7
Order Of Finish:
Doubles - 1, 2, 3
Singles - 4, 3, 2, 5, 1, 6
Players Mentioned
