The University of Akron Athletics
Nationally-Ranked Tennis Edged By Miami (Ohio), 4-3
April 17 | Women's Tennis
AKRON, Ohio - The nationally-ranked University of Akron tennis team suffered its first conference loss of the season on Saturday, falling 4-3 to Miami (Ohio) indoors at LaTuchie Tennis Center. The 72nd-ranked Zips, who dropped to 16-2 overall and 5-1 in Mid-American Conference play, moved to second place in the league standings, while the RedHawks (13-6, 6-0) became the conference leader and won their 14th-consecutive MAC outing.
Miami, the defending regular-season and MAC tournament champion, opened the afternoon by claiming two of three doubles contests to earn an early 1-0 lead that would prove to be the difference maker in the match scoring. The UA pair of identical twin sisters Angelika Jogasuria and Angelina Jogasuria scored an 8-3 win at No. 2, but MU posted an 8-5 decision at both the No. 1 and 3 flights to earn the point. At No. 1, the Zips' duo of Zara Harutyunyan and Anya Baronayte led 5-4, but RedHawks Stephanie Danesis and Megan Martzolf rallied for the 8-5 victory. At No. 3, UA's Jeremie Benjamin and Carolina Castro Cota were behind for the duration, closing to within 5-4, before giving up the 8-5 final margin. It was just the third time this season the Zips have given up the doubles point and the first time this year when facing a MAC opponent.
Singles play provided butterflies, with two points being decided in a third set and two opening sets requiring a tiebreaker to determine an early leader.
Akron evened the match scoring at 1-1, thanks to a 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 1 via Harutyunyan over Anastasia Dracheva, but Miami jumped ahead 3-1 with a 6-2, 6-4 victory at No. 6 by Sydnee Bridger against Benjamin, and a 7-6 (6), 6-4 win at No. 3 courtesy of Megan Martzolf versus Angelika Jogasuria. A three-set win at No. 2, 1-6, 6-4, 6-3, by Angelina Jogasuria pulled UA within a point, but MU's Cara Wald captured a 7-5, 6-0 decision over Baronayte at No. 5 to secure the match point, with a win at the No. 4 court still up for grabs. At No. 4, Zip Prang Pantusart, playing on an injured left foot, scored a 6-7 (4), 6-2, 10-8 victory to make the 4-3 final tally. Pantusart was down 0-5 in her opening set, then took a 6-5 lead before falling 7-6 (4).
Akron wraps up the regular season on the road next week,
competing at Bowling Green on Friday and Western Michigan the next
day. The MAC Championship runs April 29-May 2 (Thursday-Sunday) on
the Western Michigan campus in Kalamazoo.
RESULTS
Miami (Ohio) 4, No. 72 Akron 3
Doubles:
1. Stephanie Danesis/Megan Martzolf (MIAMI) def. Zara
Harutyunyan/Anya
Baronayte (AKRON) 8-5
2. Angelika
Jogasuria/Angelina
Jogasuria (AKRON) def. Riekie Honiball/Cara Wald (MIAMI)
8-3
3. Anastasia Dracheva/Sydnee Bridger (MIAMI) def. Jeremie
Benjamin/Carolina
Castro Cota (AKRON) 8-5
Singles:
1. (104) Zara Harutyunyan
(AKRON) def. Anastasia Dracheva (MIAMI) 6-3, 6-2
2. Angelina
Jogasuria (AKRON) def. Stephanie Danesis (MIAMI) 1-6,
6-4, 6-3
3. Megan Martzolf (MIAMI) def. Angelika
Jogasuria (AKRON) 7-6 (6), 6-4
4. Prang
Pantusart (AKRON) def. Riekie Honiball (MIAMI) 6-7 (4),
6-2, 10-8
5. Cara Wald (MIAMI) def. Anya
Baronayte (AKRON) 7-5, 6-0
6. Sydnee Bridger (MIAMI) def. Jeremie
Benjamin (AKRON) 6-2, 6-4
Order of finish:
Doubles - 2, 1, 3
Singles - 1, 6, 3, 2, 5, 4
Players Mentioned
