Rockets Clip Falcons in Battle of I-75

Friday, April 6

Toledo, Ohio

1:00 p.m.

University of Toledo

Bowling Green

Junior Kokoro Chishaki went 6-2, 6-3 in Toledo's 5-2 victory over Bowling Green today.

Photo by: Will Edmonds

4/6/2018 6:27:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Toledo, Ohio - The Toledo women's tennis team (12-5, 2-2 MAC) won 5-2 over Bowling Green (11-7, 3-2 MAC) today in the annual Battle of I-75 match. The Rockets swept the doubles point and three singles matches on the day.

"This was such a team win," head coach Tracy Mauntler said. "To me, aside from Buffalo, BG has the best top four singles players in the conference, so coming into this match I knew we had to win the doubles point. I knew we were stronger in the No. 5 and 6 spots but we needed to steal one of the top-four singles matches. To take two of them and be so close in the other two felt great."

The match was full of energy from the beginning. Doubles competition opened with senior Sidnay Huck and junior Kokoro Chishaki winning 6-0 in the No. 1 spot. Junior Thalita Rodrigues and senior Megan Miller clinched the doubles point after going 6-4 in their No. 3 match.

Toledo kept the energy flowing as the match moved to singles competition. The Falcons started off with wins in the No. 1 and 2 spots, but the Rockets didn't falter. Chishaki earned a 6-2, 6-3 sweep in the No. 4 spot to give UT another point. Senior Colleen O'Brien followed behind with a quick 6-2, 7-5 victory in the No. 3 spot. Rodrigues went down 6-7(4) in her first set, but rallied for the win in the No. 6 spot, going 6-1, 6-3. Rounding out the Toledo attack was junior Claire Aleck in the No. 5 spot. Aleck went 6-3, 7-5 in a nail-biter to wrap up Toledo's win.

"Obviously it's Toledo/BG so everyone's going to be up for it, but I think sometimes that can hinder the performance so we just try to control what we can control," Mauntler said after the match. "BG's very good, and coming into this we were for sure the underdog. I always tell the girls that in close matches you're going to lose half the points so how you deal with the points you lose is so much more important than anything else, and I think they did a good job with that today.

"I think everyone felt the sting of the 4-3 loss last year," Mauntler added. "Our girls remembered that and that's what they've been working for since the summer, so I'm happy we were able to come in and just play within ourselves."

The Rockets next match is a road contest against Ball State on Sunday. Competition is slated to start at 1:00 p.m.

RELIVE THE ACTION
Fans wishing to watch the match can catch it on tape delay tonight at 11:30 p.m. via BCSN 2.

Toledo 5, Bowling Green 2
Singles competition
1. Paula Comella (BG) def. Dee Dee Leenabanchong (UT) 6-2, 6-4
2. Polina Radeva (BG) def. Sidnay Huck (UT) 6-3, 3-6, 6-4
3. Colleen O'Brien (UT) def. Marharita Tavpash (BG) 6-2, 7-5
4. Kokoro Chishaki (UT) def. Ayumi Sasaki (BG) 6-2, 6-3
5. Claire Aleck (UT) def. Vanessa Pardo (BG) 6-3, 7-5
6. Thalita Rodrigues (UT) def. Marta Bettinelli (BG) 6-7 (4), 6-1, 6-3

Doubles competition
1. Sidnay Huck/Kokoro Chishaki (UT) def. Paula Comella/Marharita Tavpash (BG) 6-0
2. Colleen O'Brien/Dee Dee Leenabanchong (UT) vs. Ayumi Sasaki/Polina Radeva (BG) 6-5, unfinished
3. Thalita Rodrigues/Megan Miller (UT) def. Vanessa Pardo/Marta Bettinelli (BG) 6-4