Rockets Set for Final Regular Season Contest

Sunday, April 22

Toledo, Ohio

1:00 p.m.

University of Toledo

Miami

Seniors Sidnay Huck (left), Colleen O'Brien (center) and Megan Miller (right) will be playing in their final home match vs. Miami on Sunday.

4/20/2018 10:53:00 AM | Women's Tennis

Toledo, Ohio - The Toledo women's tennis team (15-5, 5-2 MAC) will host Miami (Ohio) this Sunday at 1:00 p.m. at Shadow Valley (Maumee) in its final match of the Mid-American Conference season. Seniors Colleen O'Brien, Sidnay Huck and Megan Miller will be playing in their final home match and will recognized in a brief ceremony before the match.

Head coach Tracy Mauntler and the Rockets aren't taking their foot off the gas heading into Sunday's contest. Toledo is currently the third seed in next week's MAC tournament. However, a win over the Redhawks (5-1 MAC) would clinch the No. 2 seed for UT.

"One of the things we've tried to do this season is take things one step at a time," Mauntler said. "We're going to treat the Miami match the same way that we've treated all the conference matches: We're going to put all of our effort into what we can control on the court."

The 2017-18 season will be one to remember for UT. The Rockets went on a month-long six-match winning streak (Jan. 28-Feb. 23), earned four player of the week awards, and feature the conference's only undefeated doubles team in O'Brien and sophomore Dee Dee Leenabanchong (15-straight matches). Perhaps the most remarkable takeaway from the regular season is how team-oriented and consistent Toledo has been.

"We've had so many special moments this year that it is hard to pick just one or two," Mauntler said. "Our doubles dominance has been amazing with Dee Dee and Colleen leading the way as the only undefeated team in the MAC. But what is most special about this team is that we don't have an all-star. Everyone on the team contributes and we have different people stepping up all the time."

The Rockets are coming off 4-3 wins over Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan over the weekend. In Friday's match against the Eagles, Toledo's first point came from clinching the doubles competition. O'Brien and Leenabanchong combined in the No. 2 spot, winning 6-2 over Marie Mayerova and Giuliana Ansaloni. Huck and junior Kokoro Chishaki followed in the No. 1, winning 6-3 to close out the first half of competition. Singles competition saw Chishaki and O'Brien sweep their opponents in two sets while Huck rallied for the deciding match point. Chishaki went 6-0, 6-3 in No. 4, and O'Brien went 6-3, 6-4 in No. 3. The wins set up Huck's 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 victory in the No. 2 spot.

Sunday's contest was just as heated. The Midnight Blue and Gold again swept the doubles point thanks to Miller and junior Thalita Rodrigues' 6-3 victory in the No. 3 spot. Huck and Chishaki shut down their opponents in No. 1 again, this time winning 6-2. In singles, No. 3 player O'Brien again won, going 7-6 (5), 6-3. Junior Claire Aleck swept in No. 5, going 6-0, 7-5 and Rodrigues closed out the Rockets' day with a 6-3, 6-4 victory in No. 6.

SCOUTING MIAMI
The Redhawks (9-8, 5-1 MAC) are coming off a 6-1 victory over Bowling Green on Saturday. Miami started by clinching the doubles competition thanks to the No. 2 team of Milana Lysova/ Priyana Kalita (6-4) and the No. 3 team of Emily Struble/ Melati Devi (6-1). Singles competition saw the Red and White win five matches, three of which ended in two-set sweeps.