Women's Tennis Set To Open League Play At Detroit

Posted: Mar 22, 2012

March 22, 2012

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CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Cleveland State women's tennis team will close out their six-match road swing this weekend, as they travel to Detroit for a 7:00 p.m. contest on Friday, March 23. Friday's match will mark the beginning of Horizon League play for both teams, with the Vikings entering the week at 8-7 on the season and Detroit currently holding a 3-7 record.

Over the past two seasons Cleveland State has posted a 14-2 record in league matches, with both losses coming to UIC. During both the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons CSU finished the regular season ranked second in the league standings, earning the No. 2 seed in the championship. The Vikings have combined for a 41-29 league record during head coach Brian Etzkin's tenure.

Nicole Janek, who was just named Horizon League Women's Tennis Athlete of the Week, leads the Vikings and the league with a 12-3 singles record this spring. Janek has won nine out of her last 10 singles matches, is just three wins away from her first 20-win season and is two wins shy of her 50th career victory.

Last week Janek led the Vikings with a 3-0 singles record and a 3-0 mark in doubles action with teammate Maria Lazaris. Mengdi Liu was also a perfect 3-for-3 in singles play in Florida, while Kara Sherwood and Alex Power picked up singles victories against Albany.

Power, who has an 8-7 record this spring, is also closing in on her first 20-win season as she enters the week with an overall record of 17-11. Power and Janek would become the 10th and 11th Vikings all-time to achieve 20-win seasons, joining current Vikings Lazaris, Alex Bush and Catrine Bjerrehus.

The Opponent
Detroit enters Friday's contest having won three out of their last five matches. The Titans (3-7) have recorded a pair of 4-3 wins over IPFW and Chicago State and a 5-4 victory over Wayne State this season and have been led by Chloe Karoub who has a 5-5 singles record this spring.

Under Etzkin the Vikings are 5-7 against Detroit, but they have won the past two regular season contests. Maria Lazaris and Mengdi Liu have led the Vikings against UDM, as Lazaris has a perfect 3-0 record against the Titans and Liu has a 2-0 mark against them.