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Bulls Blow Past RedHawks, 5-2

Andreea Novaceanu

HAMILTON, OH – The University at Buffalo women’s tennis team completed a successful opening weekend with its road victory over Miami University, 5-2, at the Riverside Athletic Club in Hamilton, OH. The Bulls improved to 10-1 overall and are now 2-0 in Mid-American Conference play while the RedHawks are now 7-9, 1-1 in the MAC.

The Bulls jumped in front by scoring wins in two of the three doubles matches. At number one, UB’s Denise Harijanto (Jakarta, Indonesia) and Andreea Novaceanu (Bucharest, Romania/Emil Racovita) defeated Katrina Lomidze and Linda Jirouskova by an 8-2 count. UB’s number two tandem of Natalie Dean (Feilding, New Zealand/Palmerston North) and Miglena Nenova (Rousse, Bulgaria/Eurointellect) knocked off Miami’s Leda Pesatova and Victoria Pulido by an identical 8-2 score.

The Bulls clinched the match with victories at the top four spots on the singles ladder, including a pair 7-5 third-set wins. Nenova scored a win in the number one match after Lomidze was forced to retire prior to the second set. Nenova had won the first set, 6-0. In the number two match, Harijanto had little trouble in downing Pesatova, 6-1, 6-2.

In the number three match, Novaceanu saw her strongest competition since returning to the lineup during UB’s spring trip to Florida. Novaceanu needed to rally to defeat Jirouskova in three sets. After dropping the opening set, 5-7, Novaceanu scored a 6-1 win in the second set and capped off the comeback with a 7-5 win in the final set.

Natalie Dean

Dean, forced to play a third-set super-tiebreaker on Friday against Ball State, faced another three-set duel on Saturday, this time coming out on top. The senior scored a 7-5 win in the final set to complete the victory, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5.

The Bulls, winners of four in a row, face Bowling Green and MAC preseason favorite Western Michigan next Friday and Saturday at home for their next contests.

Buffalo 5, Miami 2

Doubles

1 Denise Harijanto/Andreea Novaceanu (UB) d. Katrina Lomidze/Linda Jirouskova (MU), 8-2

2 Natalie Dean/Miglena Nevova (UB) d. Leda Pesatova/Victoria Pulido (MU), 8-2

3 Kristen McPhillips/Kelly Douple (MU) d. Tina Jacob/Katrin Fischer (UB), 8-3

Singles

1 Miglena Nenova (UB) d. Katrina Lomidze (MU), 6-0, ret.

2 Denise Harijanto (UB) d. Leda Pesatova (MU), 6-1, 6-2

3 Andreea Novaceanu (UB) d. Linda Jirouskova (MU), 5-7, 6-1, 7-5

4 Natalie Dean (UB) d. Kristen McPhillips (MU), 6-3, 2-6, 7-5

5 Victoria Pulido (MU) d. Smaranda Stan (UB), 6-3, 7-5

6 Kelly Douple (MU) d. Tina Jacob (UB), 7-5, 0-6, 6-4