Sept. 13, 2008

Contact: Dana Ingraham

DETROIT, Mich. -- The Cleveland State women's tennis team did not let the rain dampen its spirits or its intensity on the first night of play at the University of Detroit Mercy's Titan Invitational. Matches were rescheduled and played indoors on Friday night due to the inclement weather.

The Vikings competed against a much improved IPFW team to kick off the 2008-09 season. In this tournament there are no team scores, so only the individual winners from each flight will advance. This format will allow CSU to get a taste of some opposing teams that it will compete against later in the season.

The first three singles were all tough matches that included tiebreakers. Tiebreakers were used in place of a third set due to the amount of play that will take place over the course of the weekend tournament. Sophomore Melissa Holzinger and newcomer Catrine Bjerrehus won their tiebreakers at the No. 2 and No. 3 spots respectively as CSU won two out of the total three breakers.

"Our top three players all had close matches that could have gone either way," head coach Brian Etzkin said. "If we improve a little in our tiebreakers, we will be in good shape."

After the tough top three matches, Cleveland State showed its depth, winning the rest of the matches in two sets. Freshman Molly Drake picked up her first collegiate victory against Ashley Hunter at No. 8 singles.

The Vikings looked most impressive in their doubles matches though, winning all but one by a score of 8-3.

"Our doubles looked really sharp tonight," said Etzkin. "This is the best we have looked in doubles since I came to CSU, especially for it being the first day. I am really excited about these aggressive doubles teams and what they have the potential to accomplish."

Action continues Saturday night inside the Franklin Athletic Club in Southfield, Mich. CSU will take on Oakland in singles and doubles and Detroit in singles, concluding with doubles matches against Detroit on Sunday.

First Day Results

Singles
Amy Recht (IPFW) def. Charlotte Gibbons (CSU), 7-6(4), 6-3
Melissa Holzinger (CSU) def. Ingrid Ballus (IPFW), 1-6, 6-3, 10-8
Catrine Bjerrehus (CSU) def. Sachi Janek (IPFW), 0-6, 7-5, 10-6
Jackie Tabb (CSU) def. Yuka Kobayashi (IPFW), 6-3, 6-1
Myra Pepino (CSU) def. Alex Forsyth (IPFW), 7-4, 6-2
Denisa Muntean (CSU) def. Agnes Menger (IPFW), 6-0, 6-0
Sanda Bjelan (CSU) def. Katie Brien (IPFW), 6-2, 6-3
Molly Drake (CSU) def. Ashley Hunter (IPFW), 6-2, 6-0

Doubles
Gibbons/Bjerrehus (CSU) def. Ballus/Kobayashi (IPFW), 8-3
Holzinger/Tabb (CSU) def. Recht/Janek (IPFW), 8-3
Muntean/Bjelan (CSU) def. Brien/Forsyth (IPFW), 8-5
Pepino/Drake (CSU) def. Menger/Alexa Rang (IPFW), 8-3