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Bowling Green State University
Toledo
Falcons Win Battle of I-75 (Route 25, Actually)
April 16, 2011 | Women's Tennis
Hill clinches BGSU's 4-3 win for second-straight day
For the second-straight day, sophomore Mary Hill won the clinching match as the Bowling Green State University tennis team captured a 4-3 victory. This time, the win came over the arch-rival University of Toledo, as the Falcons won the 'Battle of I-75' - or in this case, the 'Battle of State Route 25' - at the Perrysburg Tennis Center Saturday afternoon (April 16).
With the win, the Falcons improve to 13-7 overall and 4-3 in Mid-American Conference play, while dropping the Rockets to 12-9 and 3-4, respectively.
BGSU has topped last season's overall win total, and the Falcons have doubled last year's MAC victory total. The 2009-10 team went 12-10 and 2-6, respectively.
Additionally, Saturday's victory moved the Falcons past UT and Eastern Michigan into sole possession of fourth place in the MAC standings. EMU fell to BGSU, 4-3, on Friday (April 15), and lost at Western Michigan by a 5-2 count on Saturday.
Hill's match was the last on the court in Friday's win over EMU. On Saturday, Hill's contest was not the final one to be completed, but the sophomore's win gave the Falcons the all-important fourth point to clinch the victory over the Rockets. Hill defeated UT's Kelsey Anonsen in three sets, winning her third set by a 6-1 result for the second-straight afternoon.
Saturday's match marked 'Senior Day' for the Falcons, as Christine Chiricosta, the team's lone senior and the winningest player in program history, was recognized prior to the match.
"It was a very exciting match," said Falcon head coach Penny Dean. "There were lots of fans there, for both teams, with a lot of cheering and a great atmosphere. We're happy to get a win for Christine on Senior Day and finish off a 2-and-0 weekend."
When Saturday's match started, BGSU won the doubles point with victories at the first and third flights. Hill teamed with freshman Nikki Chiricosta for an 8-3 win at the third flight, over Amanda Border and Silvia Carvajal.
The UT duo of Ashley Frey and Alexandra Cristello picked up an 8-4 victory over sophomore Jade Johnson and freshman Emily Reuland at the middle flight, but the Brown and Orange picked up the win at the top flight, as Christine Chiricosta and soph Maddy Eccleston posted an 8-6 win over Anonsen and Polina Guimaraes.
In singles play, five of the six matches took the minimum two sets, although two of UT's wins required second-set tiebreakers.
Nikki Chiricosta downed Christine Coffman in the most lopsided result of the day. The younger Chiricosta rolled to 6-1 victories in each of her two sets at the third flight.
Christine Chiricosta picked up her second victory on 'Senior Day' with a win over Guimaraes at the top singles flight. Chiricosta won the first set by a 6-4 result, then rolled to a 6-0 win in the second set for the second consecutive afternoon at the PTC.
Frey, Toledo's all-time wins leader, posted a win over Eccleston, including a 7-6 victory in the second set at the second flight. and, Border picked up a victory over junior Jessica Easdale in two close sets at flight number six.
With two matches remaining on the court, the Rockets needed victories in both for the overall match victory. Hill put an end to those hopes with her win over Anonsen at the fourth flight. Cristello downed Reuland in a second-set tiebreaker at the fifth flight, but the Falcons already had the required four points.
The Falcons head to the MAC's 'West Coast' to close the regular season next weekend, taking on Northern Illinois University next Saturday (April 23) in DeKalb. Following the NIU match, the Brown and Orange will head to Ypsilanti, Mich., for the MAC Championships. The league tourney begins on April 28, with BGSU's first match likely set for April 29.
BGSU 4, TOLEDO 3
Saturday, April 16 – Perrysburg Tennis Center – Perrysburg, Ohio
SINGLES
1 - Christine Chiricosta (BGSU) def. Polina Guimaraes 6-4, 6-0
2 - Ashley Frey (UT) def. Maddy Eccleston 6-1, 7-6 (6)
3 - Nikki Chiricosta (BGSU) def. Christine Coffman 6-1, 6-1
4 - Mary Hill (BGSU) def. Kelsey Anonsen 6-4, 1-6, 6-1
5 - Alexandra Cristello (UT) def. Emily Reuland 6-4, 7-6 (5)
6 - Amanda Border (UT) def. Jessica Easdale 7-5, 6-4
DOUBLES
1 - C.Chiricosta/Eccleston (BGSU) def. Guimaraes/Anonsen 8-6
2 - Cristello/Frey (UT) def. Reuland/Jade Johnson 8-4
3 - N.Chiricosta/Hill (BGSU) def. Border/Silvia Carvajal 8-3
