Katrin Fischer

BUFFALO, NY - A spirited rally by the University at Buffalo women's tennis team ended with the Bulls claiming their first Mid-American Conference victory of the year, a 4-3 decision over Akron, in UB's home finale at the Village Glen Tennis Center in Williamsville on Friday.

Katrin Fischer (Ternitz, Austria/Borg) ended the match with a three-set victory over Courtney Brenkus, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, at third singles to give the Bulls the team victory. Fischer needed to rally in the final game after falling behind 15-40. Fischer won the next two points to reach deuce, then after Brenkus gained the advantage on the next point, Fischer took the next three points to claim the win.

Miglena Nenova

Fischer's win came just minutes after first singles player Miglena Nenova (Rousse, Bulgaria/Eurointellect) finished off her comeback win over Irina Strembitsky, the top-ranked player in the MAC and listed in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's rankings at number 100. Nenova, who has been battling tendonitis much of the season, fell behind early, dropping the first set 6-1 and trailing 3-1 in the second set before she started her rally. Nenova rattled off five of six wins to take the second set 6-4 and force the deciding third set. The UB freshman opened the third set by winning the first three games but allowed Strembitsky, who had been undefeated in singles play (15-0) to this point, to close the gap to 3-2. Nenova then finished the match by taking the final three games and tying the team score at 3-3.

UB (8-8, 1-6 MAC) also picked up singles victories from Kristen Ortman (Amherst, NY/Amherst) at number two and Onessa Williams (Albany, NY/Albany/Mohawk Valley CC) at number six. Ortman defeated Diana Serafini in straight sets, 6-1, 7-5. Willliams knocked off Jennifer Ales, also in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4.

Akron (7-11, 0-7 MAC) claimed a pair of singles wins as number four Stephanie Miles defeated UB's Lisa Wittman (Cheektowaga, NY/Cheektowaga), 6-1, 6-0, and number five Mindy Price downed Michelle Kollarova (Bratislava, Slovak Republic/Sport Gymnasium), 6-3, 6-0.

The Zips also won the doubles point to begin the match by taking all three matches. At number one, Strembitsky and Serafini survived a grueling match against Nenova and Ortman, 8-6, with seven of the 14 games going to deuce. Brenkus and Price defeated Fischer and Kollarova, 8-2, at number two. Miles and Ales downed Wittman and Sheri Ugowski (Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park) at number three, 8-0.

UB's Erica Zielinski (North Tonawanda, NY/North Tonawanda) won an exhibition match over Akron's Vero Duchesne, 8-5.

"In spite of injuries and tough opponents, this team came out fighting for every ball," said head coach Kathy Twist. Nenova suffered a flare up of her tendonitis during her singles match and needed ice during several of the changeovers. Ortman has been in an ankle brace the last two matches after a sprain in last Friday's match against Marshall.

The Bulls travel to Toledo and Eastern Michigan next weekend to close out the regular season.

Buffalo 4, Akron 3

Doubles

1 Irina Strembitsky/Diana Serafini (UA) d. Miglena Nenova/Kristen Ortman (UB), 8-6

2 Courtney Brenkus/Mindy Price (UA) d. Katrin Fischer/Michelle Kollarova (UB), 8-2

3 Stephanie Miles/Jennifer Ales (UA) d. Lisa Wittman/Sheri Ugowski (UB), 8-0

Singles

1 Miglena Nenova (UB) d. Irina Strembitsky (UA), 1-6, 6-4, 6-2

2 Kristen Ortman (UB) d. Diana Serafini (UA), 6-1, 7-5

3 Katrin Fischer (UB) d. Courtney Brenkus (UA), 6-4, 4-6, 6-4

4 Stephanie Miles (UA) d. Lisa Wittman (UB), 6-1, 6-1

5 Mindy Price (UA) d. Michele Kollarova (UB), 6-3, 6-0

6 Onessa Williams (UB) d. Jennifer Ales (UA), 6-2, 6-4

Exh Erica Zielinski (UB) d. Vero Duchesne (UA), 8-5