Women’s Tennis Falls to #1 Miami in MAC Championship Match, 4-3

Sunday, April 28

Buffalo, NY

Noon

University of Akron

Championship Match: vs. #1 Miami

Photo by: Ron Elkman

Women’s Tennis Falls to #1 Miami in MAC Championship Match, 4-3

April 28 | Women's Tennis

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BUFFALO, N.Y. – The No. 2 seed University of Akron women's tennis team battled top-seeded Miami but fell short, 4-3, on Sunday in the 2019 Mid-American Conference Championship final at UB's Miller Tennis Center.

With the victory, Miami earned the MAC's automatic berth into the 2019 NCAA Tournament.

"I could not be more proud of the effort shown today from this team," said Akron head coach Brandon Padgett. "The opportunity to play for a championship doesn't happen often, and this team showed today why they deserved to be in this match. Anna and Sophia played outstanding singles throughout the entire tournament, and Miruna and Rita set the tone for us in doubles each day. The season may have ended with a loss, but the season was nothing, but a great success for this team. I'm excited to see what the future holds for this wonderful group of young women."

Just like their regular-season match, UA (21-6 overall) dropped the doubles point to Miami (12-10 overall).

At No. 1, junior captain Rita Pedroso (Porto, Portugal) and sophomore Miruna Vasilescu (Ulm, Germany) tied doubles action at 1-1 with a 6-2 win over Brindtha Ramasamy and Jordan Ortega-Mendez.

Akron recorded victories in three singles matches.

Down 2-0 in the team score, Akron earned its first point at No. 1 singles. Redshirt senior captain Sophia Geier (Burgebrach, Germany), the 2017 and 2019 MAC Player of the Year, remained undefeated against MAC opponents with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over the 2019 MAC Newcomer of the Year Ramasamy.

Geier stands 29-4 in singles action and 21-1 in spring action, all at the No. 1 spot. Geier will finish her collegiate career ranked No. 2 in career singles wins (currently has 106) and combination singles/doubles wins (currently has 177) while her 71 doubles victories rank No. 11 on the career chart.

Tied 3-3, the match came down to the action at No. 2. Vasilescu captured the first set, 7-6 (3), over Emily Struble, who took the second set, 6-2. In the deciding set for the match for the MAC title, Struble prevailed, 6-2.

At No. 3, sophomore Anna Uljanov (Schweinfurt, Germany) beat Jordan Ortega-Mendez in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4.

At No. 4, Pedroso battled Priyana Kalita to a 6-2, 7-5 win.

Following the championship, Geier and Uljanov were named to the All-Tournament Team.

Akron awaits an at-large berth into the 2019 NCAA Championship which begins May 3. The bracket will be announced on Monday, April 29.

#1 MIAMI 4, #2 AKRON 3
MAC Championship Match | Miller Tennis Center | Buffalo, N.Y.
April 28, 2019

Doubles:
1. Rita Pedroso/Miruna Vasilescu (Akron) def. Brindtha Ramasamy/Jordan Ortega-Mendez (MU), 6-2

2. Melati Devi/Emily Struble (MU) def. Sophia Geier/Anna Uljanov (Akron), 6-2

3. Priyana Kalita/Makenzie Myers (MU) def. Carla Flores/Enya Forgaci (Akron), 6-1

Singles:
1. Sophia Geier (Akron) def. Brindtha Ramasamy (MU), 6-2, 6-1

2. Emily Struble (MU) def. Miruna Vasilescu (Akron), 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-2

3. Anna Uljanov (Akron) def. Jordan Ortega-Mendez (MU), 6-3, 6-4

4. Rita Pedroso (Akron) def. Priyana Kalita (MU), 6-2, 7-5

5. Melati Devi (MU) def. Luisa Echeverry (Akron), 6-2, 6-1

6. Makenzie Myers (MU) def. Ceci Rosas (Akron), 6-3, 6-2

Order of Finish:
Doubles– 3, 1, 2
Singles– 5, 1, 6, 3, 4, 2

Team Records:
#2 seed Akron (21-6 overall)
#1 seed Miami (12-10 overall)

All-Tournament Team
Audrey Berger, Ball State
Pia Schwarz, Buffalo
Sophia Geier, Akron
Anna Uljanov, Akron
Mackenzie Myers, Miami
Emily Struble, Miami - MVP