Zero was the number for the day for the women's tennis team as they defeated the Duquesne Dukes 7-0 and improved their record to 5-0.
With junior Andrea Novaceanu still out of the lineup, Buffalo (5-0) was provided with another opportunity for other players to shine in the lineup against Duquesne (4-2).
"Everyone played and got experience," said Buffalo women's tennis head coach Kathy Twist. "This was a good test against a good team especially with coming from behind to win."
The Bulls were basically perfect as they swept all three doubles matches led by the No. 3 duo of junior Smaranda Stan and senior Katrin Fischer. The tandem rallied back from a 4-2 deficit to win the next six games for an 8-2 victory over Andrea Sailer and Alex Albano to clinch the doubles point.
Buffalo's No. 2 team of senior Natalie Dean and junior Tina Jacob needed a tiebreaker to down Johanna Bezjak and Rachel McGowan, 8-7. The Bulls' No. 1 team of freshman Denise Harijanto and senior Miglena Nenova played to an impressive 8-1 victory over Jacqueline Hughes and Rebecca Poole.
In singles, Buffalo played its way to six wins as Harijanto, who was playing her first match in the No. 1 spot, scored an easy 6-0, 6-2 wins over Bezjak.
"(Harijanto) is our freshman," Twist said. "She had a great practice this week and looked like she was good at the next level. It was good for her to go against a non-conference team and I thought she was ready to lay in the No. 1 single and doubles and she responded fabulously."
Nenova at No. 2 also cruised with a 6-4, 6-0 victory over Hughes and tied the school record for all-time singles victories, with 59. Nenova now holds the record alongside former teammate, and current assistant coach Kristen Ortman.
"(Nenova) is so solid," Twist said. "She wasn't feeling well going into the match. She just works and pushes her frustration out of the way. She has the ability to push it aside. This was a great example for the rest of the team to have seniors push ahead with the circumstances."
Dean captured her match in three sets with a 6-7, 6-2, 6-2 win over Poole. Stan also came away victorious, with a 7-6, 6-2 win over McGowan. Freshman Diana Toia also won her singles contests on Saturday defeating the Dukes' Alicia McNamara, 6-4, 6-3.
Jacob, who played in the fifth spot, racked up another win for the undefeated Bulls. Jacob defeated her opponent in a tough three game set with finals of 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-8).
The Bulls will now travel across the Empire State. Buffalo will square off against Colgate on Friday and then the following day versus Cornell.
Additional reporting by Sports Editor David Jarka
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
