ANN ARBOR, Mich. – After advancing to the Championship Match of the Horizon League Tournament for the third time in program history, the Cleveland State women's tennis team came up short Sunday afternoon, falling to No. 3 Youngstown State, 4-2.
The Vikings finished the season with a 12-12 overall record.
"We weren't able to get any wins in the doubles slate today, and obviously that was a huge lift for us yesterday, and I'm sure it did the same for Youngstown State today. The doubles point can be huge in a close match, and it proved to be the same today," head coach Brian Etzkin said. "I thought we still have a fighting chance down the stretch in singles play, and this is the closest we have ever been in the championship match and next time we will hopefully be right there again."
The Penguins were able to get out to the early 1-0 lead in the championship match, picking up the doubles point with wins at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles.
The Vikings were able to even the score at the start of singles play though, as Victoria Bensimon earned a 6-3, 6-2 victory at No. 5 singles. Bensimon finished the season on a team-best nine-match win streak and posted a 17-12 overall singles record.
YSU then gained a 3-1 advantage with wins at No. 2 and No. 4 singles, before Alex Power was able to bring the Vikings back within one with a victory at No. 6 singles. Power battled for a 6-3, 7-5 victory, putting the score at 3-2 YSU with matches still in progress at No. 1 and No. 3 singles.
"Victoria moved up the singles lineup for us today and got us a win at No. 5 singles that we didn't get last time around against YSU and evened the score for us at the beginning of singles play. Alex Power stepped into the singles lineup for us today and battled for a huge win. She really left everything on the court and kept us in the match. Kara and Lauren both played great matches against their opponents, with both of them playing better against the same opponents from the regular season," Etzkin said.
At the top of the lineup, Lauren Golick gave her Penguin opponent everything she could handle, including forcing the first set into a tiebreak, but it wasn't enough, as YSU clinched the title with a 7-6 (3), 7-5 win at No.1 singles.
At No. 3 singles, Kara Sherwood was up 7-5, 5-5 before her match got suspended.
"I have to give my congratulations to Youngstown State, they played a good, clean match today and I definitely feel that it was the two best teams in the championship match this year. We were able to get another shot at them, and we unfortunately weren't able to close it out. I'm sure they are very excited to have their first title in program history, and I wish them the best of the luck in the NCAA Tournament,"
"It has been such a pleasure to coach the senior trio of Alex Power, Alex Bush, and Kara, they have been a great part of the Cleveland State team for four solid years. All three of them have added something to the team throughout their careers, and I know they will be proud Vikings forever," Etzkin said.
Youngstown State 4, Cleveland State 2
Doubles:
- Burak/Lackova (YSU) def. Power/Folkers (CSU), 8-4
- Sherwood/Orange (CSU) vs. Brendel/Sahni (YSU), 7-7, unfinished
- Jesko/Sadovnikova (YSU) def. Bush/Gbadamosi (CSU), 8-3
Singles:
- M. Sadovnikova (YSU) def. Lauren Golick (CSU), 7-6 (3), 7-5
- Marta Burak (YSU) def. Alex Bush (CSU), 6-3, 6-1
- Kara Sherwood (CSU) vs. Dominika Lackova (YSU), 7-5, 5-5, unfinished
- Annina Brendel (YSU) def. Mathilde Orange (CSU), 6-3, 6-3
- Victoria Bensimon (CSU) def. Nehel Sahni (YSU), 6-3, 6-2
- Alex Power (CSU) def. Carolyn Jesko (YSU), 6-2, 7-5
