April 17, 2009
Final Stats
KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- Miami captured its 16th Mid-American Conference Tennis Championship Friday afternoon when it wrapped up the 2009 regular-season title with a 4-3 victory over four-time defending champion Western Michigan. The win was the eighth straight for the RedHawks, who improve to 12-6 overall and 7-0 on league play.
Miami won the doubles point for the 10th straight time, rallying to take the deciding match. Western Michigan took captured an 8-3 victory at the No. 1 position before Riekie Honiball and Brintney Larson pulled the RedHawks even with an 8-5 win at No. 3. Monica Gorny and Anastasia Dracheva trailed 5-3 in their contest at No. 2, but won the next three games for a 6-5 advantage. The teams were tied at 7 when Gorny held her serve, then broke for a 9-7 victory.
The RedHawks quickly jumped out to a 3-0 lead by winning at No. 2 and No. 4 singles. Dracheva earned a 6-0, 6-2 victory before Megan Martzolf won 6-2, 6-1 at No. 4.
But the Broncos began to rally. Gorny saw a nine-match winning streak come to a halt when she lost 6-3, 6-2 to Kerstin Pahl at No. 1. Then, Larson was surprised at No. 5, closing the lead to 3-2. She took the opening set 6-4, but was defeated 6-1, 6-1 over the remaining two to drop the match.
But Stephanie Danesis pulled Miami through. In a similar plot to Larson's match, Danesis fell behind 6-1, 1-0 to Ashley Moccia in No. 3 singles, but she won the next five games enroute to a 6-2 win in the second set. The freshman led 3-1 in the deciding third set, but was forced to a tiebreaker, where she clinched the match with a 7-5 victory. The final point went to Western Michigan 6-4, 7-6, 1-0.
"I dont think it has sunk in yet as a group," Head Coach Howard Joffe said. "It was a great day for tennis -- nice weather and a contest between two very good teams. We are thrilled to come out with a win. Megan proved how tough we are as a group as she was sick all week and came through in straight sets. Stephanie's match was reversed, but is an indication of how close it was out there. All of the matches had a slim margin.
The regular-season title was the first since 1999, when Miami posted a 9-0 record in league play. The RedHawks seek a repeat of that undefeated run through the conference tomorrow afternoon when it travels to Bowling Green.
