Miami University
Temple
RedHawks Outlast the Owls, 4-3
3/31/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
HAMILTON, Ohio - Miami University women's tennis team notched another win in its belt after defeating Temple (9-10, 1-2 AAC), 4-3, continuing its winning streak on Friday afternoon at Riverside Athletic Club. This was the first meeting between the two teams in all-time series history.
Miami (7-8, 2-0 MAC) started off the match strong in the doubles competition with wins at No. 2 and No. 3 respectively. Senior Andreea Badileanu and sophomore Emily Struble set things in motion when they topped Temple's Money Stuckey-Willis and Mariana Bedon in a quick (6-2) match.
The pair of juniors Anastasiia Vasiukhina and Hannah Shteyn secured the doubles point for the RedHawks when they took down Anais Nussaume and Dina Karina. Miami rattled off five unanswered points to overcome a deficit of (5-1), to which Temple responded with a point of its own to send the match into a tiebreaker. Ultimately, the Red & White prevailed to take the point 7-6 (8-6).
Off to a solid start, the RedHawks rose to meet the Owls in singles action. Badileanu kicked things off with a win at third position over Galina Chernykh in straight sets (6-2, 6-0). The Owls made the board after Vasiukhina fell to Mariana Bedon (6-0, 6-2). Sophomore Anzhelika Shapovalova powered through to take down Monet Stuckey-Willis, 7-5, 7-6 (7-2), and to widen Miami's lead, 3-1.
Temple tied the match after defeating RedHawks at No. 6 and 1. Shteyn claimed the first set against Yana Kohn, but was unable to carry over and dropped the next two (3-6, 6-4, 6-2). Junior Nelli Ponomareva fell to Alina Abdurakhimova in a very close, battle of a match (7-5, 7-6 (7-2)).
All eyes shifted to court four as Struble fought to secure Miami's fourth-consecutive win. The Michigan-native handily took the first set, 6-2, but opponent Dina Karina wasn't going down without a fight. When it seemed Struble had the match all wrapped up, Temple rallied to put two points on the board and rest the fate of the match in another nail-biting tiebreaker. For every point Struble tallied, Karina answered with a point of her own. Miami ultimately came out on top, 7-6 (8-6).
The RedHawks will vie for their fifth consecutive win on Sunday when they travel to Akron, Ohio to take on the Zips in MAC play with the first serve going up at 1 p.m.
Singles Competition
1. Alina Abdurakhimova (TEMPLE) def. Nelli Ponomareva (MIAMI) 7-5, 7-6 (7-2)
2. A. Shapovalova (MIAMI) def. Monet Stuckey Willis (TEMPLE) 7-6 (10-8), 6-4
3. Andreea Badileanu (MIAMI) def. Galina Chernykh (TEMPLE) 6-2, 6-0
4. Emily Struble (MIAMI) def. Dina Karina (TEMPLE) 6-2, 7-6 (7-6)
5. Mariana Bedon (TEMPLE) def. A. Vasiukhina (MIAMI) 6-0, 6-2
6. Yana Khon (TEMPLE) def. Hannah Shteyn (MIAMI) 3-6, 6-4, 6-2
Doubles Competition
- Alina Abdurakhimova/Yana Khon (TEMPLE) def. Nelli Ponomareva/A. Shapovalova (MIAMI) 6-1
- A. Vasiukhina/Hannah Shteyn (MIAMI) def. Anais Nussaume/Dina Karina (TEMPLE) 7-6 (8-6)
- Andreea Badileanu/Emily Struble (MIAMI) def. Monet Stuckey Willis/Mariana Bedon (TEMPLE) 6-2
Players Mentioned
