CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Cleveland State women's tennis team will continue Horizon League play on the road this weekend, traveling to Northern Kentucky and Wright State for a pair of matches.
Saturday, April 1 | @ Northern Kentucky | 12:30 p.m.
Five Seasons Sports Club | 345 Thomas More Parkway | Crestview Hills, Ky. | 41017
Sunday, April 2 | @ Wright State | 11:00 a.m.
Springboro High School | 1675 S. Main Street | Springboro, Ohio | 45066
Follow Along Live!
Fans that are unable to attend this Saturday's match at Northern Kentucky will still be able to follow along live, with Live Results available via the women's tennis schedule page on CSUVikings.com.
Last Time Out…
Cleveland State picked up back-to-back wins against UIC (5-2) and Valparaiso (7-0), marking the seventh time under head coach Brian Etzkin that the Vikings have started Horizon League play with a 2-0 record. The Vikings, who are now 22-5 in Horizon League regular season matches over the last four seasons, improved to 7-1 at home this season and now own a 14-2 overall record when playing in the Medical Mutual Tennis Pavilion.
Spindler Earns Horizon League Weekly Honors
For the second time in as many weeks, sophomore Isabella Spindler was named the Horizon League Singles Player of the Week, after helping the Vikings to a pair of league victories last time out. On the weekend, Spindler went 2-0 at No. 1 singles, picking up a 7-6 (1), 6-3 win against UIC and a 6-3, 6-0 victory against Valparaiso, improving to 7-6 when playing at the top of the singles lineup this spring. Spindler is the only singles player to pick up multiple weekly accolades from the league this season.
Eyes On Win #70
Entering this weekend's matches at Northern Kentucky and Wright State senior Victoria Bensimon needs just one more victory to join the exclusive 70-win club. Bensimon, who has won four of her last five singles matches, would become the seventh Viking all-time to reach the 70-win milestone. Bensimon currently ranks seventh on the CSU Singles Wins List with 69 career wins.
…Gbadamosi Close Behind
After picking up back-to-back wins against UIC and Valparaiso last weekend, Princess Gbadamosi also made moves on the CSU Singles Wins List – taking over sole possession of eighth place with 64 career victories. With her 2-0 start to league play, Gbadamosi improved to 8-7 this spring, and has won four of her last six singles matches.
Closing In On Win #50
After opening Horizon League play with a pair of victories against UIC and Valparaiso, junior Aleksandra Golawska enters the weekend just three wins shy of marking the 50th singles victory of her career. Golawska, who owns a 13-10 singles record this season, would become the 14th Viking all-time to reach the 50-win milestone. Golawska would also join teammates Victoria Bensimon and Princess Gbadamosi in the exclusive 50-win club.
Gbadamosi & Spindler Extend Doubles Winstreak
Since moving back into the doubles lineup as Cleveland State's No. 2 tandem against Akron, Princess Gbadamosi and Isabella Spindler have posted a 5-1 record, including five straight wins since the beginning of March. Gbadamosi and Spindler have helped the Vikings collect the doubles point in five of the last six matches, and are the only Cleveland State duo to be undefeated in league action this year.
Bensimon Continues HL Singles Streak
Victoria Bensimon picked up right where she left off in Horizon League play, going 2-0 against UIC and Valparaiso to extend her Horizon League regular season singles winstreak to 15 straight matches. Bensimon, who owns a 23-2 record against league opponents (regular season matches only), hasn't lost a match since April 3, 2015. During her career, Bensimon has posted perfect Horizon League regular season records as a junior (9-0) and freshman (6-0), and is currently 2-0 in the early going this season.
…Golawska Against Horizon League Opponents
Junior Aleksandra Golawska has also fared well against league opponents, owning a 17-2 record in regular season league matches after picking up back-to-back wins last weekend. Golawska, who was one of five Vikings to go 2-0 during the opening weekend of league action, now stands at 13-10 overall this season and has won four out of her last five matches.
Vikings Selected Third In Horizon League Preseason Poll
Earlier this season Cleveland State was selected to finish third in the Horizon League Preseason Poll, picking up 68 points and one first-place vote. The Vikings were picked to finish behind preseason favorite Youngstown State and UIC in the 10-team field. This is the fifth year that the Horizon League has released a preseason poll, with the Vikings earning a top-three selection in four of the five polls.
Head Coach Brian Etzkin
Brian Etzkin is in his 15th year with the Vikings, owning a 193-183 dual match record. During his tenure, Etzkin has guided Cleveland State to a pair of Horizon League Regular Season titles (2014 & 2016), and three Horizon League Championship Match appearances. With just seven more dual match victories, Etzkin will become the second active Horizon League women's coach with 200 wins on their career.
Scouting The Norse
Northern Kentucky enters Saturday's match with a 4-5 record this spring, including a 1-1 record in Horizon League play. The Norse, who were selected to finish eighth in the preseason poll, picked up a 6-1 victory against Green Bay and fell to Milwaukee, 5-2 last time out.
This will be just the second meeting between the two teams under head coach Brian Etzkin, with the Vikings earning a 6-1 victory in last year's matchup.
Scouting The Raiders
Wright State enters the weekend with an 11-8 overall record and has won six of its last seven matches. The Raiders, who were picked to finish fourth in the Horizon League Preseason poll, are currently tied with the Vikings for first place in the standings with a 2-0 record and will take on Youngstown State prior to Sunday's matchup with the Vikings.
Under head coach Brian Etzkin, the Vikings own a 14-4 record against the Raiders, and have won 11 of the last 12 contests.
