Bulls Roll Past Ball State, 7-0

UB takes all three doubles matches and all six singles contests

Andreea Novaceanu

BUFFALO, NY- The University at Buffalo women’s tennis team returned home for the first time in over a month and the host Bulls did not disappoint their fans as they improved to 2-0 in the Mid-American Conference with a 7-0 victory against Ball State, Friday afternoon at the Village Glen Tennis Center. UB’s overall record improves to 7-4 on the year.

The Bulls managed to take all three doubles matches in what was a highly contested doubles point. Tina Jacob (Singapore/Raffles JC) and Diana Toia (Rochester, NY/Brighton) were the first to finish their match as they defeated Emma Retter and Katherine Rist, 9-7, at third doubles. UB’s number one team of Denise Harijanto (Jakarta, Indonesia) and Diana Popescu (Alexandria, Romania/AL. I. Cuza) clinched the doubles points as they defeated Haly Calderwood and Jennifer Pollack, 8-5. Harijanto and Popescu came from behind in that match as they won four straight games after being down 5-4. At number two doubles, Andreea Novaceanu (Bucharest, Romania/Emil Racovita) and Anna Subenkova (Riga, Latvia) defeated Sophie Quist and Georgina Thompson, 8-7 (3).

Diana Popescu

In singles play, the Bulls won all but one of their matches in straight sets. Novaceanu defeated Quist at first singles, 6-1, 6-1. Popescu, who picked up her team-leading 20th singles victory of the year, defeated Pollack at number two, 6-2, 6-3. Harijanto played at third singles and defeated Calderwood, 6-1, 6-4, which clinched the match for UB. Junior Smaranda Stan (Stantu Gheorghe, Romania/Economic) fought back in her match after dropping the first set as she defeated Retter, 3-6, 6-2, 1-0 (6). Toia took her match at fifth singles against Thompson, 7-6 (5), 6-3 and Jacob defeated Rist at sixth singles, 7-6 (4), 6-3. Earlier in the afternoon, freshman Aleksandra Petrova (Sofia, Bulgaria/Logos International) defeated Rachel Surowiec, 8-1, in an exhibition match.

The Bulls return to the court tomorrow afternoon as they host Miami (OH). The match, which will be at the Village Glen, is set for 2:00 pm.

Buffalo 7, Ball State 0

Doubles:
1. Diana Popescu/Denise Harijanto (UB) def. Haly Calderwood/Jennifer Pollack (BSU), 8-5
2. Andreea Novaceanu/Anna Subenkova (UB) def. Sophie Quist/Georgina Thompson (BSU), 8-7 (3)
3. Tina Jacob/Diana Toia (UB) def. Emma Retter/Katherine Rist (BSU), 9-7

Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2

Singles:
1. Andreea Novaceanu (UB) def. Sophie Quist (BSU), 6-1, 6-1
2. Diana Popescu (UB) def. Jennifer Pollack, 6-2, 6-3
3. Denise Harijanto (UB) def. Haly Calderwood (BSU), 6-1, 6-4
4. Smaranda Stan (UB) def. Emma Retter (BSU), 3-6, 6-2, 1-0 (6)
5. Diana Toia (UB) def. Georgina Thompson (BSU), 7-6 (5), 6-3
6. Tina Jacob (UB) def. Katheriine Rist (BSU), 7-6 (4), 6-3

Order of Finish: 1, 2, 3, 5, 4, 6

Ex. Aleksandra Petrova (UB) def. Rachel Surowiec (BSU), 8-1

03/28/2008