UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO ATHLETICS
WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. — For the first time in school history, the University at Buffalo women’s tennis team claimed the MAC Regular Season Title with a 7-0 win over Ball State on Friday afternoon at the Miller Tennis Center. The Bulls won their 12th straight match as they capped off a perfect 8-0 MAC season. Overall, the Bulls improve to 15-3 on the season.
The afternoon began with a tough doubles contest, which propelled the Bulls into a dominant performance in singles. Ball State won at first doubles before senior Tanja Stojanovska and sophomore Anna Savchenko overcame a slow start to win six straight games in a 6-4 win. At third doubles, sophomore Emel Abibula and sophomore Arianna Paules Aldrey fought their way into a tiebreaker where they came away with an 8-6 win to take a 1-0 lead in the match.
The Bulls then won all six singles matches in straight sets. Stojanovska recorded the first victory with a 6-3, 6-0 win at two. Aldrey won at six, 6-2, 6-4, giving the Bulls a 3-0 lead. Senior Lolade Ogungbesan then clinched the match and the title for the Bulls with a 6-4, 6-1 win at third singles.
Buffalo finished the sweep as juniors Sanjana Sudhir and Chantal Martinez Blanco won at five and one, respectively. Sudhir took down her opponent, 6-3, 6-3, while Martinez Blanco won her match, 6-4, 6-3. Abibula closed out the afternoon with a 6-4, 6-3 win at fourth singles.
“I am just so proud of this group and everything they have accomplished this season,” said head coach Kristen Maines. “We talked about winning the regular season as being one of our goals and it was great to see this team go out there and dominate each time we took the court. Seeing where this program has gone from my first year as student-athlete to now is so special and I can’t wait to see what we do next week at the MAC Tournament.”
As the #1 seed, the Bulls will have a first round bye in the tournament and they will play on Saturday at 10:00 am in the MAC semifinals.
Doubles
- Rebecca Herrington/Audrey Berger (BSU) def. Chantal Martinez Blanco/Lolade Ogungbesan (UB), 6-3
- Tanja Stojanovska/Anna Savchenko (UB) def. Julia Sbircea/Victoria Sec (BSU), 6-4
- Emel Abibula/Arianna Paules Aldrey (UB) def. Sarah Swiderski/Isabelle Dohanics (BSU), 7-6 (6)
Singles
- Chantal Martinez Blanco (UB) def. Audrery Berger (BSU),6-4, 6-3
- Tanja Stojanovska (UB) def. Sarah Swiderski (BSU), 6-3, 6-0
- Lolade Ogungbesan (UB) def. Isabelle Dohanics (BSU), 6-4, 6-1
- Emel Abibula (UB) def. Victoria Sec (BSU), 6-4, 6-3
- Sanjana Sudhir (UB) def. Rebecca Herrington (BSU), 6-3, 6-3
- Arianna Paules Aldrey (UB) def. Lilya Hadab (BSU), 6-2, 6-4
