Bulls Open MAC Tournament Play With 4-0 Win Over Eastern Michigan

UB advances to semifinals against Western Michigan

Diana Toia

BOWLING GREEN, OH – The University at Buffalo women’s tennis team opened up Mid-American Conference Tournament play with a 4-0 victory over Eastern Michigan on Friday Afternoon. The match was played indoors at the Perrysburg Tennis Center due to high winds in the Bowling Green area. The win improves UB’s record to 14-5 as they advance to Saturday’s semifinal round.

The Bulls got off to a very quick start in doubles dominating all three matches. UB’s number three team of Smaranda Stan and Diana Toia got the first victory as they defeated Rumbidzai Muskwe and Marcela Rivero, 8-1. The Bulls then clinched the doubles point moments later as the number one team of Denise Harijanto and Diana Popescu defeated Miriam Westernik and Joanna Woo, 8-1. Due to the tournament format the number two doubles matches was not finished but the team of Aleksandra Petrova and Anna Subenkova had a 7-0 lead on Karina Ahuja and Xu Chang.

Smaranda Stan

In singles play, the Bulls won or led in all six matches when play was halted. Toia claimed the first victory as she defeated Joanna Woo at fourth singles, 6-3, 6-1. The Bulls then went up 3-0 in the match as Harijanto overcame a late first set deficit as she defeated Westernik, 7-6 (1), 6-1. Stan then clinched her fourth straight MAC Tournament match, dating back to last season, as she overcame a second set deficit to defeat Ahuja, 6-3, 7-5. Popescu, who was playing at second singles, dropped her first set 6-4 before coming back to win the second set 6-0. She was up 2-1 in the third set when play was stopped following the UB victory. Due to only have four courts available at a time, the fifth and sixth singles matches were unable to begin until after a match concluded. That didn’t stop the Bulls from getting off to early leads before play was stopped. At fifth singles Petrova had a 5-1 lead in the first set, while Subenkova was working on the shutout at sixth singles, finishing with a 3-0 lead.

Denise Harijanto

The Bulls will continue MAC Tournament play tomorrow afternoon as they face Western Michigan in the semifinals at 2:00 pm. This is the fourth straight year that the Bulls and Broncos have met in the MAC Tournament. The first semifinal will be top seed, Miami and fifth-seeded Toledo. Miami defeated Northern Illinois today, while the Rockets defeated the host, Bowling Green. Western Michigan defeated Akron 4-0 in its quarterfinal match.

Buffalo 4, Eastern Michigan 0

Doubles:
1. Denise Harijanto/Diana Popescu (UB) def. Miriam Westernik/Joanna Woo (EMU), 8-1
2. Anna Subenkova/Aleksandra Petrova (UB) led Karina Ahuja/Xu Chang (EMU), 7-0
3. Diana Toia/Smaranda Stan (UB) def. Rumbidzai Muskwe/Marcela Rivero (EMU), 8-1
Order of Finish: 3,1 (Not finished: 2)

Singles
1. Denise Harijanto (UB) def. Miriam Westernik (EMU), 7-6 (1), 6-1
2. Diana Popescu (UB) led Xu Chang (EMU), 4-6, 6-0, 2-1
3. Smaranda Stan (UB) def. Karina Ahuja (EMU), 6-3, 7-5
4. Diana Toia (UB) def. Joanna Woo (EMU), 6-3, 6-1
5. Aleksandra Petrova (UB) led Marcela Rivero (EMU), 5-1
6. Anna Subenkova (UB) led Rumbidzai Muskwe (EMU), 3-0
Order of Finish: 4,1,3 (Not Finished: 2,5,6)