Final Stats
March 8, 2015
OXFORD, Ohio -- An uncharacteristic match from the beginning, the Badgers were ultimately unable to overcome an aggressive Miami (Ohio) squad, as the Wisconsin women's tennis team fell to 6-4 on the season in their final tune-up before Big Ten play begins.
"They were a tough team that was clearly more physical than we were and way more determined today." UW head coach Tina Samara explained. "We better figure out how to turn this lack of urgency around before the Big Tenseason."
Wisconsin began the match by dropping the doubles point--a rarity this season. The team of Maria Avgerinos and Lauren Chypyha notched their first victory playing on the top doubles court this year, topping Christine Guerrazzi and Nelli Ponomareva of Miami (OH). They are now 7-3 as a duo this season, winning their last seven of eight matches.
The singles side of things didn't fare much better for the Cardinal and White, as the No. 71 Badgers dropped matches on each of the top four courts. Lauren Chypyha's nine-match winning streak was snapped by MU's Alix Thurman in three sets. Chypyha fell in the first set 6-1 before battling back to win the second 7-5. The final set also went to 12 games, but Thurman prevailed over the Badger junior, 7-5.
Kelsey Grambeau and Ekaterina Stepanova picked up the two points for UW, winning on the fifth and sixth courts.
Grambeau earned her sixth singles victory of the year with her 6-4, 6-4 win over Ana Rajkovic, while Ekaterina Stepanova improved to 6-2 on the season playing on the sixth singles court.
Samara thought the lessons learned in the loss could mean some improvements moving forward into Big Ten play.
"I hope the team learned a valuable lesson today and come out to practice Monday with a very different mentality."
The Badgers will have a chance to show a new mentality against border rival Minnesota this Friday, March 13 in Minneapolis.
Miami (OH) 5, No. 71 Wisconsin 2
Oxford, Ohio
March 8, 2015
Singles:
Alix Thurman (MU) def. Lauren Chypyha (UW), 6-1, 5-7, 7-5
Christine Guerrazzi (MU) def. Maria Avgerinos (UW), 6-4, 6-3
Nelli Ponomareva (MU) def. Sydney Rider (UW), 6-0, 6-3
Andreea Badileanu (MU) def. Lauren Burich (UW), 6-2, 7-5
Kelsey Grambeau (UW) def. Ana Rajkovic (MU), 6-4, 6-4
Ekaterina Stepanova (UW) def. Ramona Costea (MU), 6-3, 6-2
Doubles:
Lauren Chypyha/Maria Avgerinos (UW) def. Christine Guerrazzi/Nelli Ponomareva (MU), 8-6
Hannah Shteyn/Alix Thurman (MU) def. Lauren Burich/Kelsey Grambeau (UW), 8-5
Andreea Badileanu/Ramona Costea (MU) def. Sydney Rider/Ekaterina Stepanova (UW), 8-6
