April 27, 2009
Contact: Dana Ingraham
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- The women's tennis team concluded its 2009 season on Saturday, notching a fifth place finish at the Horizon League championships.
In a highly anticipated morning match against Youngstown State, the Vikings came up one point short, dropping a 4-3 decision.
CSU got on the board early with two quick wins at second and third doubles to go up 1-0. Coach Brian Etzkin and the Vikings were looking forward to singles play, having taken three out of six from the Penguins earlier in the season and the chance to capitalize on several lineup changes this time around.
Sophomores Melissa Holzinger and Myra Pepino scored the last two points for Cleveland State with straight set wins at No. 3 and 6 as Youngstown State secured the remaining four, shutting down the Vikings' goal of a top-three conference finish.
CSU would take on Milwaukee later in the afternoon in the match for fifth place. The Viking women defeated the Panthers, 5-2, just a few weeks ago, and followed up on Saturday with a 4-0 shutout to wrap up fifth place.
Following three doubles victories that put the Vikings ahead, Holzinger, Catrine Bjerrehus, and Jackie Tabb made short work of their opponents, winning in straight sets to score the remaining points CSU needed.
Although Coach Etzkin and the team were hoping for a different result, they remain focused and optimistic about the future of the program.
"It was unfortunate that we had a chance to accomplish our goal and we were unable to convert," said Etzkin. "It was good to finish fifth when the other option was sixth, but that was not our original goal. What we can do is take away the positives; we have a lot of time to think about this and regroup to decide what our goals are going to be for next year and get back to work."
Cleveland State finishes the year with a 17-11 overall record and a 7-4 mark in the Horizon League, including postseason play. With no seniors, the Vikings will not lose any players to graduation and expect to return a majority of their lineup next season.
#5 Youngstown State 4, #4 Cleveland State 3
April 25, 2009, Horizon League Championship, Second Round
Doubles
1. Bjerrehus/Gibbons (CSU) vs. Lynch/Cloern (YSU), DNF 7-5
2. Holzinger/Tabb (CSU) def. Haralambopoulus/Hankle (YSU), 8-1
3. Pepino/Bjelan (CSU) def. Volkova/Welch (YSU), 8-4
Singles
1. Sarah Lynch (YSU) def. Catrine Bjerrehus (CSU), 6-2, 6-1
2. Lauren Hankle (YSU) def. Charlotte Gibbons (CSU), 6-3, 6-3
3. Melissa Holzinger (CSU) def. Anna Volkova (YSU), 6-0, 6-2
4. Tanisha Welch (YSU) def. Jackie Tabb (CSU), 6-0, 2-6, 6-3
5. Gretchen Cloern (YSU) def. Sanda Bjelan (CSU), 6-4, 6-1
6. Myra Pepino (CSU) def. Nicole Haralambopoulus (YSU), 6-2, 6-1
#4 Cleveland State 4 vs. #6 Milwaukee 0
April 25, 2009, Horizon League Championship, Consolation Match
Doubles
1. Bjerrehus/Gibbons (CSU) def. Drvaric/Kastenholz (UWM), 8-4
2. Holzinger/Tabb (CSU) def. Schoen/Schoneman (UWM), 8-2
3. Pepino/Bjelan (CSU) def. Gow/Felsher (UWM), 8-4
Singles
1. Catrine Bjerrehus (CSU) def. Kelly Drvaric (UWM), 6-0, 6-0
2. Charlotte Gibbons (CSU) vs. Kari Kastenholz (UWM), DNF 4-6, 6-1, 1-1
3. Melissa Holzinger (CSU) def. Sammi Schoen (UWM), 6-4, 6-1
4. Jackie Tabb (CSU) def. Ashley Schoneman (UWM), 6-4, 6-0
5. Sanda Bjelan (CSU) vs. Jenna Felsher (UWM), DNF 3-6, 6-3, 1-0
6. Myra Pepino (CSU) vs. Megan Gow (UWM), DNF 6-3, 4-4
