In their first match of the spring season, the women's tennis team showed why they are the favorite to win the Mid-American Conference. In a non-conference match, the Bulls dominated the Niagara Purple Eagles by a score of 7-0 on Saturday afternoon at the Village Glen in Williamsville.
The Bulls (1-0) took the doubles point with ease, sweeping the competition, 3-0. Sophomore Denise Harijanto and freshman Diana Popescu cruised past Niagara's Shella Dargout and Vania Lakic, 8-0, in first singles.
The tandem of junior Smandra Stan and sophomore Diana Toia downed Rauel Solis and Emma Cunningham, 8-3, in second doubles. Senior Tina Jacob and sophomore Anna Subenkova secured the doubles point with their 8-1 victory over Victoria Tiso and Kim Roberts.
Niagara was unable to score more than three points in any singles match. Senior Andreea Novaceanu defeated Solis 6-1, 6-1 in first singles and Harijanto downed Lakic by the same score in their second singles match. In number three singles, Popescu overcame Dargout 6-2, 6-3 to secure the singles point and the victory.
Stan shut out Cunnigham, 6-0, 6-0, in number four singles. Jacob defeated Tiso, 6-3, 6-2, and Petrova took down Niagara's Roberts 6-1, 6-2.
Head coach Kathy Twist, in her 11th season with the program, looks to lead her team to another successful season, having reached the MAC Championship game the last two years. Western Michigan took the title from the Bulls both times.
The Bulls finished last season with a record of 17-3 and a 7-1 record in the MAC, their only loss going to Western Michigan.
The Bulls enter this season three key players short from last year's squad, as Miglena Nenova, Natalie Dean and Kattrin Fischer, all graduated. Those seniors combined for a 52-18 record in singles play in 2007. Nenova was named to the All-MAC first team.
Novaceanu and Harijanto earned second-team honors in the conference and return to improve on their prior success. Novaceanu finished her 2007 campaign with a 17-5 record and a 5-2 mark in the MAC. Harijanto capped off a successful freshman season with a 21-9 singles record. The doubles team of Harijanto and Novaceanu went 10-1 last year, going 6-1 against MAC opponents.
Freshman Diana Popescu will be expected to step in right away with the loss of the trio of seniors. Popescu had a successful fall season, winning the first two tournaments of the season, before finally losing in the Can-Am tournament in October.
The Bulls next face off against Syracuse at the Village Glen at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 9.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
