Falcons Blank Chicago State, 7-0, for Weekend Sweep of Illinois Foes

Saturday, April 5

Perrysburg, OH

12:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

Chicago State

Falcons Blank Chicago State, 7-0, for Weekend Sweep of Illinois Foes

April 05, 2014 | Women's Tennis

All seven players on the roster pick up at least one win for the second-straight day

By: PERRYSBURG, Ohio (BGSU Athletic Communications)

Brittany Plaszewski - BGSU Invite - Sept 20 2013 - MJC pic

For the second consecutive day, all seven members of the Bowling Green State University tennis team picked up at least one win as the Falcons posted a victory at the Perrysburg Tennis Center. On Saturday (April 5), the Brown and Orange downed Chicago State University, 7-0, in non-conference action.

With the win, BGSU improves to 8-6 on the season. The Cougars drop to 5-15 on the year.

"We wanted to get the win today, but we also wanted to build some confidence," said BGSU head coach Penny Dean. "Chicago State is a pretty good team, but I think we were mentally stronger today, and we did a better job of taking care of the little things.

"I told the team after the match that I'd just like to bottle this weekend and use it for the rest of the year."

Sophomores Katie Brozovich and Drew Fillis and freshman Harley Hutchison each won at both singles and doubles on Saturday afternoon. For Brozovich and Hutchison, it capped off a perfect 4-0 weekend, as each player posted two wins in the Falcons' Friday match vs. Northern Illinois.

On Saturday, the Falcons won the doubles point, with victories at the second and third flights. Both matches saw BG spot the Cougars a game before roaring back to take total control.

At the third flight, Hutchison and fellow freshman Hannah Drayton reeled off eight games in a row for an 8-1 win over Sabrine Navarro and Gema Bolado Yusta. The second-flight match saw the Cougars' Carynne Lloyd and Faith Huckabee take a 1-0 lead over Brozovich and Fillis. But, the BG sophomores won six-straight games en route to an 8-3 win.

The top flight went to CSU, as Kirsa Utech and Karyn Emeralda took a 3-0 lead over Nikki Chiricosta and Emily Reuland, then held off a late rally by the BGSU seniors. CSU led by a 7-4 count before Chiricosta and Reuland captured two games to get within a single game. But, Emeralda and Utech were able to close out the win, 8-6.

In singles play, freshman Brittany Plaszewski wasted little time in giving the Falcons the second point of the day. Plaszewski defeated Navarro in a quick 6-1 opening set, then didn't take much longer to capture her second set, 6-2.

"Brittany was very efficient today, and I'm glad she got a chance to show what she can do," said Dean. "All year, it's been very close as to who is going to play. We know who will be in the top three spots in our singles lineup, but there are four players for the other three spots, and it's all up in the air.

"Brittany executed so well today. Even when she's won some other matches, she hasn't always been able to play in the matches the same way she has in practice. She was able to do that today, and it's exciting to see."

Brozovich was equally dominant in her third-flight win over Marnie Perez-Ochoa. In each set, the BG sophomore led by a 2-1 score before blanking her CSU foe for the remainder of the set. The 6-1, 6-1 win gave the Falcons a 3-0 lead in the overall match scoring.

Reuland clinched the win for the Brown and Orange, winning 12-straight games to defeat Lloyd at the second flight. The CSU sophomore won the first game of the first set, but Reuland responded by winning six consecutive games to capture the first set, then taking all six games that the second set would require.

Hutchison capped off her 4-0 weekend by downing Bolado Yusta at flight number five. The BG freshman picked up a 6-2 win in the opening set, lost the first game of her second set and bounced back by taking six-straight games for a 6-1 win in the second set.

Chiricosta breezed to a 6-0 win over Utech at the top flight's first set, but the CSU freshman responded by forging ahead, 3-2 in the second set. The BG co-captain, however, squashed any notions Utech might have had of a comeback, winning the next four games to take the victory.

Fillis, after losing her first set in a tiebreaker, came back to blank Huckabee, 6-0, in a lightning-quick second set. With the Falcons' victory over the Cougars long since decided, the fourth-flight match went to a 10-point 'super tiebreaker' in lieu of a third set. Fillis burst out to a 6-0 lead, and the BG sophomore led by a 7-1 count when Huckabee attempted a comeback. The CSU freshman took the next three points, and after a service ace by Fillis, Huckabee again won three-straight points to cut her deficit to just 8-7. But, Fillis took the next point, then blasted another serve that Huckabee was unable to return, giving the Falcons the 7-0 win.

"Drew and Harley picked up good wins today," said Dean. "They have struggled a little bit lately, but this weekend they played the way we saw them play back in the fall and in January. That's what we need as a team, and I'm very excited about that. They've worked very hard, and it paid off this weekend.

"I had to take someone out of the lineup today to get Brittany in, and it happened to be Hannah. Hannah played very well yesterday, even though she lost. She knows what she's doing out there, and I already felt pretty confident with her. It was great to see Drew, Harley and Brittany step up these last two days, and we hope to maintain confidence we gained this weekend as we prepare for next weekend's matches."

Brozovich and Hutchison, as mentioned, each went 4-0 on the weekend, with a pair of wins at both singles and doubles. Chiricosta and Fillis each went 3-1 in the Falcons' two matches, while Plaszewski was 2-0, Drayton 2-1 and Reuland 2-2.

BGSU's season-long four-match homestand concludes next weekend, when the Falcons host Akron on Friday (April 11) and Buffalo Saturday (April 12). Both matches are scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. at Keefe Courts on the BGSU campus, and the UB match will be 'Senior Day' for the Falcons, with Chiricosta and Reuland recognized in ceremonies prior to the match.

BGSU 7, Chicago State 0
Sat., April 5, 2014 – Perrysburg Tennis Center – Perrysburg, Ohio
SINGLES
1 – Nikki Chiricosta (BGSU) def. Kirsa Utech 6-0, 6-3
2 – Emily Reuland (BGSU) def. Carynne Lloyd 6-1, 6-0
3 – Katie Brozovich (BGSU) def. Marnie Perez-Ochoa 6-1, 6-1
4 – Drew Fillis (BGSU) def. Faith Huckabee 6-7, 6-0, 1-0(10-7)
5 – Harley Hutchison (BGSU) def. Gema Bolado Yusta 6-2, 6-1
6 – Brittany Plaszewski (BGSU) def. Sabrine Navarro 6-1, 6-2

DOUBLES
1 – Utech/Karyn Emeralda (CSU) def. Chiricosta/Reuland 8-6
2 – Brozovich/Fillis (BGSU) def. Lloyd/Huckabee 8-3
3 – Drayton/Hutchison (BGSU) def. Navarro/Bolado Yusta 8-1

RECORDS
BGSU 8-6 (2-2 MAC)
CSU 5-15

ORDER OF FINISH
Doubles: 3,2,1
Singles: 6,3,2,5,1,4

LENGTH OF MATCH
3:24

UP NEXT FOR BGSU
Fri., April 11, vs. Akron – 1:00 p.m. – Keefe Courts

SATURDAY'S MAC RESULTS
at BGSU 7, Chicago State 0
Eastern Michigan 4, at Toledo 3
Ball State 4, at Buffalo 3
Miami 7, at Akron 0
at Western Michigan 5, Northern Illinois 2

UPDATED MAC STANDINGS
(overall record in parentheses)
1. Eastern Michigan (12-6)... 5-0
2. Miami (11-6).............. 3-1
Ball State (13-7)......... 3-1
4. Buffalo (12-4)............ 3-2
Toledo (12-5)............. 3-2
6. Bowling Green (8-6)....... 2-2
7. Western Michigan (12-8)... 1-3
8. Northern Illinois (6-10).. 1-5
9. Akron (10-12)............. 0-5