Huskies Get Past Falcons, 4-3, in MAC Opener

Friday, March 20

Bowling Green, OH

1:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

Northern Illinois

Harley Hutchison v NIU - March 20 2015 - Brad Phalin photo

Harley Hutchison celebrates a point during Friday's match. Hutchison won her singles match in straight sets

Photo by: Brad Phalin, BGSU Marketing and Communications

March 20, 2015 | Women's Tennis

Hutchison, Plaszewski & Witt post singles wins Friday at Keefe Courts

By: BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (BGSU Athletic Communications)

Northern Illinois University won the doubles point against the Bowling Green State University tennis team Friday afternoon (March 20), and that point proved to be crucial as the teams split their six singles matches. The Huskies downed the Falcons, 4-3, in the Mid-American Conference opener for both teams at Keefe Courts on the BGSU campus.

PHOTO GALLERY - Brad Phalin, BGSU Marketing & Communications

The Falcons got singles wins from sophomores Harley Hutchison and Brittany Plaszewski and freshman Emily Witt. For Plaszewski and Witt, it marked their first career victories in MAC play.

"We played very well in singles today," said BGSU head coach Olga Elkin. "But, our slow start in doubles cost us.

"I'm very big on the things that we can control. When you are playing in any sporting event, there are a lot of things you can't control. We can't control the wind, and we can't control what our opponent is doing. But, we can control our energy, our attitude, our footwork, and those are things that I am very big on. We started off very slow in doubles today, and we can't afford to do that."

Northern (10-3, 1-0 MAC) got wins at the bottom two doubles flights to take the initial point of the match. NIU's Arantza De La Torre and Mary Malkin, both seniors, defeated Plaszewski and freshman Sydney Seeley at the third flight, while the Huskies' Evelyn Youel and Jennifer Gates got past Witt and sophomore Antonina Farrar at the second. The NIU second-flight duo led from the outset in a back-and-forth match, and pulled away by winning the last two games for a 6-3 victory.

At the top flight, NIU's Nelle Youel and Cristina Alvarez, who entered the day with a perfect 10-0 record this spring, dropped their first game against Hutchison and freshman Megan Miller. The Huskie tandem won the next four games, then forged ahead by a 5-2 count. Hutchison and Miller, however, won the next game, then took an early lead in the following game before the match was halted with NIU leading by that 5-3 score.

In singles play, the Huskies got a pair of wins at the bottom two flights, with Abigail Dekkinga defeating Seeley at the sixth flight and Gates downing Farrar at the fifth. Nelle Youel, undefeated in singles as well as doubles play this spring, defeated Miller at flight number one, witih a 6-3 win in the first set and a 6-2 triumph in the second.

The last three matches to finish, however, all went the Falcons' way. Hutchison battled Alvarez through a pair of tight sets at the second flight, but the BG sophomore was in control from the outset. She moved in front by a 5-3 count in the opening set, saw Alvarez close to within a game, then clinched the first set by a 6-4 final.

In the second set, Hutchison and Alvarez traded games early on, but leading by a 4-3 score, Hutchison captured the next two games for a 6-3 win and a straight-sets victory.

"I tried to be more consistent and do the things we've been working on in practice, and it worked out in my favor during singles," said Hutchison. "We are constantly doing various drills in practice where we work on attacking and similar things, and those drills are starting to pay off."

"Harley was great today," said Elkin. "Her attitude was really good, she played smart and she made a lot of shots. That was a very solid win for her."

Both Plaszewski, at the fourth flight, and Witt, at the third, split their two sets and went to 10-point tiebreakers. Plaszewski and De La Torre battled through a nip-and-tuck first set. After winning the first game, Plaszewski dropped the next two. Trailing by a 3-2 count, the BG soph won two-straight games to move in front, 4-3. But, with Plaszewski up by a 5-4 score, De La Torre reeled off three consecutive games to take the opening set by a 7-5 result.

In the second set, Plaszewski and De La Torre battled back and forth, with Plaszewski taking leads of 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2. De La Torre repeatedly battled back, and tied the score at 4-4. But, Plaszewski took the next game, then won a second-straight game for a 6-4 victory that forced a 10-point tiebreaker in lieu of a first set.

Meanwhile, Witt exploded for a 5-0 lead against Malkin in their opening set, then saw the NIU senior rally nearly all the way back. Malkin won four-straight games before the BG freshman closed out a 6-4 win.

In the second set, it was Malkin taking an early lead by winning the first three sets. Back came Witt, winning three consecutive games to tie the set at 3-3. Malkin took the lead once again, but Witt rallied to make it a 4-4 deadlock. But, Malkin was able to capture the next two games to take a 6-4 second set.

As Witt's second set was wrapping up, Plaszewski's tiebreaker was underway. Plaszewski took an early 2-0 lead, before De La Torre reeled off three-straight points. Back came Plaszewski, taking two points for a 4-3 lead, but De La Torre then proceeded to win four consecutive points to seemingly take control with a 7-4 lead.

Plaszewski, however, won the next five points to go back in front, 9-7. De La Torre briefly staved off the loss, winning the next point, but back came Brittany, as the BG soph took the following point for a 10-8 victory.

Plaszewski's tiebreaker ended, and Witt and Malkin were early in their 'breaker. Things were tight in the early going, before Witt seized control in a big way. The Falcon freshman won seven consecutive points to down Malkin by a 10-4 result.

"Emily and Brittany really battled for their wins," said Elkin. "Emily is a girl who loves to work. She works really hard and she will fight for every point. We saw that going into the tiebreaker today. Brittany put some shots too close to the lines (in her first set), and that's when you miss. She did a good job of picking it up in the second set and in the 'breaker.

"We haven't had many practices outside, and the girls did a good job of adjusting. It is fun to play outside, and it is great to play on campus. However, we need to maintain our energy throughout the entire match. We can't afford to come out slow."

"We had our chances today, and whether we play indoors or outdoors on Sunday, we need to work on controlling the things we can control. We have to stay consistent, and we have to stay focused."

The Falcons return to action on Sunday (March 22), taking on Western Michigan University in a 1:00 p.m. start. The match is scheduled to be played at Keefe Courts, but in the event of inclement weather, would be moved to the Perrysburg Tennis Center.

NORTHERN ILLINOIS 4, BGSU 3
Friday, March 20, 2015 – Keefe Courts – Bowling Green, Ohio
SINGLES
1 – Nelle Youel (NIU) def. Megan Miller 6-3, 6-2
2 – Harley Hutchison (BGSU) def. Cristina Alvarez 6-4, 6-3
3 – Emily Witt (BGSU) def. Mary Malkin 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (10-4)
4 – Brittany Plaszewski (BGSU) def. Arantza De La Torre 5-7, 6-4, 1-0 (10-8)
5 – Jennifer Gates (NIU) def. Antonina Farrar 6-2, 6-1
6 – Abigail Dekkinga (NIU) def. Sydney Seeley 6-0, 6-0

DOUBLES
1 – N. Youel/Alvarez (NIU) vs. Hutchison/Miller (BGSU) 5-3, DNF
2 – Gates/Evelyn Youel (NIU) def. Farrar/Witt 6-3
3 – De La Torre/Malkin (NIU) def. Plaszewski/Seeley 6-0

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

RECORDS
NIU 10-3, 1-0 Mid-American Conference
BGSU 0-10, 0-1 MAC

UP NEXT FOR BGSU
Sun., March 22, vs Western Michigan – 1:00 p.m.
Keefe Courts (Perrysburg Tennis Center if inclement weather)

DNF - did not finish