Bulls Squeeze Out Victory Over Nationally-Ranked Syracuse Orange

Tina Jacob

SYRACUSE, NY – After trailing 3-0, the University at Buffalo’s women’s tennis team rallied to win the next four matches and defeated nationally-ranked Syracuse, 4-3, Friday evening at Syracuse’s Drumlins Tennis Center. It was the first time in school history that UB (3-0) had defeated a ranked women’s tennis program as the Orange (2-3) entered the contest tied for 75th in the Fila/Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings.

UB scored victories in the bottom four singles matches to defeat Syracuse. UB junior Tina Jacob (Singapore/Raffles JC) scored a straight-sets win over Syracuse freshman Chelsea Jones, 7-5, 6-1, in the number five singles for the clincher as the Bulls avenged last season's 6-1 loss to the Orange.

Playing without their number one player, junior Andreea Novacenau (Bucharest, Romania/Emil Racovita), who has been sidelined during the spring season with an injury, the Bulls were forced to juggle their lineup. Novaceanu gained a ranking of 22nd in the East region from Fila and the ITA prior to start of the spring campaign.

After Syracuse had scored the doubles point win and added a pair of singles victories in the number two and three slots, UB started its rally. Number six Katrin Fischer (Ternitz, Austria/Borg) defeated Anne Magellan, 6-1, 6-2 to get the Bulls on the board. Number one Miglena Nenova (Rousse, Bulgaria/Eurointellect) then scored a 6-3, 6-0 win over Olga Votavova, ranked 28th in the East. Smaranda Stan (Stantu Gheorghe, Bulgaria/Economic) then tied the match with her 6-1, 6-2 victory over Carolina Huignard at number four, setting the stage for Jacob's heroics.

UB dropped the number two match as Natalie Dean (Feilding, New Zealand/Palmerston North) fell to Maria Vasilyeva, 6-3, 6-2 and the number three match in which Denise Harijanto (Jakarta, Indonesia) lost to Catherine Zawadzki, 6-2, 6-1.

UB scored a doubles victory in the number two match as Nenova and Harijanto combined to knock off Zawadzki and Jones, 8-3. Syracuse won the doubles point with victories in the number one and three matches.

In an exhibtion match, UB's Diana Toia (Rochester, NY/Brighton) defeated Syracuse's Kathleen Reedy, 8-5.

The Bulls return to Western New York to face rival Niagara on Sunday. The match will take place at Niagara's indoor home, the Sportsplex in North Tonawanda starting at 3:00 pm.

Buffalo 4, #75 Syracuse 3

Doubles

1 Olga Votavova/Maria Vasilyeva (SU) d. Tina Jacob/Natalie Dean (UB), 8-4

2 Miglena Nenova/Denise Harijanto (UB) d. Catherine Zawadzki/Chelsea Jones (SU), 8-3

3 Ashley Lipton/Carolina Huignard (SU) d. Katrin Fischer/Diana Toia (UB), 8-6

Order of finish: 2 1 3

Singles

1 Miglena Nenova (UB) d. #22 Olga Votavova (SU), 6-3, 6-0

2 Maria Vasilyeva (SU) d. Natalie Dean (UB), 6-3, 6-2

3 Catherine Zawadzki (SU) d. Denise Harijanto (UB), 6-2, 6-1

4 Smaranda Stan (UB) d. Carolina Huignard (SU), 6-1, 6-2

5 Tina Jacob (UB) d. Chelsea Jones (SU), 7-5, 6-1

6 Katrin Fischer (UB) d. Anne Magellan (SU), 6-1, 6-2

E Diana Toia (UB) d. Kathleen Reedy (SU), 8-5

Order of finish: 3 2 6 1 4 5