Rockets Fall to Buffalo in First Conference Match of Season

Friday, March 23

Buffalo, N.Y.

1:00 p.m.

University of Toledo

Buffalo

Sophomore Dee Dee Leenabanchong led No. 2 singles 7-6 (5) before her match was retired, giving the Rockets their second point against UB on Friday.

Rockets Fall to Buffalo in First Conference Match of Season

3/23/2018 6:08:00 PM | Women's Tennis

BUFFALO, N.Y. - The Toledo women's tennis team (10-4, 0-1 MAC) fell 5-2 on the road against Buffalo (8-3, 1-0 MAC) today in its first match of the Mid-American Conference season.

"We came out with a bang in doubles today, but could not sustain it through the singles," head coach Tracy Mauntler said after the match. "There is a reason Buffalo is the defending MAC champs, and their experience showed today. Our team believes in each other and we will rebound against Akron."

Toledo started the day by claiming the doubles point. The No. 1 pairing of senior Sidnay Huck/ junior Kokoro Chishaki won 6-3, and the No. 2 pairing of senior Colleen O'Brien/sophomore Dee Dee Leenabanchong earned their 12th straight doubles victory with a 6-1 triumph.

Buffalo managed to regain its footing and pull away during singles competition by nearly sweeping every match in two sets. Junior Claire Aleck forced a tiebreak in the No. 5 spot but fell 6-3, 7-6 (3). UT's second point of the day came in the No. 2 spot from Leenabanchong who led 7-6 (5) before her match was retired.

The Rockets return to action on Sunday when the team takes on Akron at 1:00 p.m.

Buffalo 5, Toledo 2

Doubles
1.   Sidnay Huck/Kokoro Chishaki (UT) def. Tanja Stojanovska/Anna Savchenko (UB), 6-3
2.   Colleen O'Brien/Dee Dee Leenabanchong (UT) def. Chantal Martinez Blanco/Lolade Ogungbesan (UB), 6-1
3.   Emel Abibula/Anna Paules Aldrey (UB) led Megan Miller/Thalita Rodrigues (UT), 4-3
Singles
1.   Chantal Martinez Blanco (UB) def. Sidnay Huck, 6-3, 6-1
2.   Dee Dee Leenabanchong (UT) def. Tanja Stojanovska (UB), 7-6 (5), 1-2 (ret.)
3.   Lolade Ogungbesan (UB) def. Colleen O'Brien (UT), 6-2, 6-3
4.   Emel Abibula (UB) def. Kokoro Chishaki (UT), 6-1, 6-3
5.   Sanjana Sudhir (UB) def. Claire Aleck (UT), 6-3, 7-6 (3)
6.   Anna Paules Aldrey (UB) def. Thalita Rodrigues (UT), 6-0, 6-1