Following a two-game winning streak, the women's tennis team defeated the Akron Zips Tuesday, beating their Mid-American Conference foe in convincing fashion.
Buffalo (11-4, 3-2 MAC) extended its winning streak to three games with a 7-0 victory. Akron (4-13, 0-3 MAC) has not been experiencing the same luck and is currently on its worst losing streak in school history, not having won a match since March 3.
Tuesday's competition was a makeup for a match that was cancelled earlier in the season. The extra time allowed both teams to get in more practice before doing battle.
"We have been doing a lot of drills and have stepped up our consistency," said Bulls head coach Cathy Twist. "We have also been working on intensity, and the girls had it against Akron."
"Consistency" has been the perfect word to describe sophomore Andrea Novaceanu, who recorded her eleventh straight singles victory by crushing Akron's Tanya Gombera 6-0, 6-2 in the first singles match. Novaceanu was named MAC Player of the Week, and improved her overall record to 24-4.
The third singles match was the closest, as sophomore Natalie Dean faced off against the Zips' Amy Sherlock. The first set ended in a tiebreaker, but Dean defeated Sherlock in the extra game, and conquered the second set, winning 7-6 (3), 6-3.
The Bulls also beat the Zips in the second singles match when junior Miglena Nenova defeated Jenna Larson 6-2, 6-1. In the fifth singles game sophomore Smaranda Stan defeated Akron's Laura Hemlepp 6-0, 6-0, improving her overall record to 8-2. Sixth singles sophomore Tina Jacob battled Akron's Jennifer Ales, defeating her 6-4, 6-4.
Kristen Ortman, the lone senior on the Bulls roster, was also able to record a victory. She defeated the Zips' Lindsey Berry 6-1, 6-3 in fourth singles and improved her record to 17-5 on the season. Ortman currently holds the Bulls record for most victories in singles and doubles played after four years with the team.
"Kristen has really been an inspiration for this team," Twist said. "She has really shown her strength."
The Bulls swept the Zips in all three doubles positions. In first doubles, Novaceanu and Jacob defeated the Zips' Gombera and Larson, winning by a score of 8-2.
This duo has been playing at a very successfully this year, scooping up fifteen wins and losing only three times. They currently hold a 3-2 record in the MAC.
Also scoring a victory on the doubles court were Ortman and Nenova, who stayed strong playing second doubles. Ortman and Nenova walked away with a victory over the Zips' Sherlock and Carlson, winning 8-6 in a close match. Ortman and Nenova have not played much together this season but the record for the two stands at a solid 4-2.
In third doubles, Buffalo's Fischer and Dean were paired up against Akron's Ales and Hemlepp 8-2. They remain undefeated this season, with an overall record of 2-0.
According to Twist, there is one simple factor that has kept the Bulls on the right side of the win-loss column this year. She added that the team has also learned to play the way they need to in order to win, even when not playing well.
"All of the girls have been playing with high intensity," Twist said. "They have learned to play well, even on their bad days."
With this victory, Buffalo is now ranked third in the MAC standings and are currently tied with Eastern Michigan and Toledo. Both teams fell to the Bulls earlier this season.
Buffalo next faces off against the Northern Illinois Huskies, where they will be looking to extend their victory streak to four games. The Huskies are coming back from a devastating defeat by the Miami RedHawks 7-0, and have not won a match since Feb., 25, earning them the bottom rank in MAC standings. The match will take place in Dekalb, Ill. on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
