BGSU Grounds Youngstown, 6-1, to Begin Dual-Match Play

Sunday, January 26

Perrysburg, OH

11:00 AM

Bowling Green State University

Youngstown State

January 26, 2014 | Women's Tennis

Birds of flight render Penguins flightless on Sunday morning

By: PERRYSBURG, Ohio (BGSU Athletic Communications)

BGSU Invitational - Sept 20 2013 - morning - MJC photo

The Bowling Green State University tennis team began the 'spring' schedule in style, posting a 6-1 win over Youngstown State University Sunday (Jan. 26) at the Perrysburg Tennis Center. The non-conference match marked the dual-match opener for both teams.

Five Falcons won at both singles and doubles, with four of those five capturing singles matches in straight sets. The group of double winners included seniors Nikki Chiricosta and Emily Reuland, sophomore Katie Brozovich and freshmen Hannah Drayton and Harley Hutchison. All seven BGSU team members won at least one match on the day.

"This was a good start to the dual-match season," said head coach Penny Dean. "We beat a very talented Youngstown State team today.

"We got off to a good start in doubles, and Nikki and Emily each had big comebacks in singles play. They both really battled back after falling behind."

Drayton and Hutchison teamed up for a 6-4 win at the third doubles flight, and each of those two first-year Falcons breezed to a win in singles play. Drayton lost only three total games in her sixth-flight singles win over YSU's Gimena Puppo, and Hutchison dropped just four total games in a fifth-flight sweep of Nehel Sahni.

Brozovich and Chiricosta captured a 6-2 win at the second doubles flight, downing Carolyn Jesko and Annina Brendel, and both players went on to singles victories as well. Chiricosta rallied from a first-set defeat to down Margarita Sadovnikova, with the Falcon senior winning a 7-6 second set, then capturing a third-set tiebreaker.

In fact, after losing her first set by a 6-1 score, Chiricosta was down, 5-2, in the second set, but rallied back to win that set before capturing the 'breaker.

Chiricosta's win came at the top flight, while Brozovich won in straight sets at the third flight. Brozovich topped Dominika Lackova by scores of 6-3 and 6-2.

Reuland combined with sophomore Drew Fillis for a 6-4 victory over Sadovnikova and Marta Burak at the number-one doubles flight. In singles action, Reuland trailed Burak by a 5-2 score in her opening set. But, the senior rallied to win that set in a tiebreaker, then rolled to a 6-1 win in the clinching set of their flight-two match.

YSU's lone point came at the fourth flight, where Brendel squeezed past Fillis in a third-set 'breaker. In a match that did not count in the overall match scoring, Falcon freshman Brittany Plaszewski posted an 8-2 victory over Victoria Ferry.

The Falcons now hit the road for the next two matches, heading to Pittsburgh and East Lansing on consecutive Saturdays. BGSU will face Duquesne next weekend (Feb. 1) before meeting Michigan State the following weekend (Feb. 8), with each match scheduled to start at 10:00 a.m. The day after the MSU match -- Sunday, Feb. 9 -- the Falcons will face UIC in a 9:30 a.m. match at the PTC.

BGSU 6, YOUNGSTOWN STATE 1
Sun., Jan. 26, 2014 – Perrysburg Tennis Center – Perrysburg, Ohio
SINGLES
1 – Nikki Chiricosta (BGSU) def. Margarita Sadovnikova 1-6, 7-6(5), 1-0(5)
2 – Emily Reuland (BGSU) def. Marta Burak 7-6(1), 6-1
3 – Katie Brozovich (BGSU) def. Dominika Lackova 6-2, 6-3
4 – Annina Brendel (YSU) def. Drew Fillis 4-6, 6-2, 1-0(5)
5 – Harley Hutchison (BGSU) def. Nehel Sahni 6-3, 6-1
6 – Hannah Drayton (BGSU) def. Gimena Puppo 6-0, 6-3
# – Brittany Plaszewski (BGSU) def. Victoria Ferry 8-2

DOUBLES
1 – Fillis/Reuland (BGSU) def. Burak/Sadovnikova 6-4
2 – Brozovich/Chiricosta (BGSU) def. Brendel/Carolyn Jesko 6-2
3 – Drayton/Hutchison (BGSU) def. Lackova/Sahni 6-4

# – not included in final match scoring

RECORDS
BGSU 1-0
YSU 0-1