Youngstown State University
UIC
YSU Moves On To Horizon League Finals With 4-1 Win Over UIC
4/30/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Ann Arbor, Mich. - The Youngstown State women's tennis team will play in the Horizon League Championship match for the fourth straight year following a 4-1 win over UIC on Saturday at the Varsity Tennis Center at the University of Michigan.
The Penguins (11-12) have won the past two championships and will face fifth-seed Wright State who knocked off top-seed Cleveland State on Saturday. The title match on Sunday will begin at 11 a.m.
After the teams split matches at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles, the Penguins clinched the point with a hard-fought 7-5 win at No. 3 behind Ana Stroe and Julianna Heino. The duo of Dominika Lackova and Sofia Macias won 6-3 at No. 2.
The first singles victory for YSU came at No. 4 as Macias won in straight sets beating Melika LeBlanc 6-3, 6-1. The Flames (13-8) cut the deficit to 2-1 as Jackie Altansarnai beat Lackova 6-1, 6-3.
The next YSU victory came at No. 3 as Noelly Longi Nsimba overcame a 6-2 first set loss to win the next two by scores of 6-1, 6-2 against Oana Manole.
At No. 5, Nehel Sahni won the clinching match against Rachel LeComber. Sahni won the first set 7-6 before LeComber forced a third with a 6-3 win. In the third set Sahni won 6-2.
In the other two unfinished matches, Annina Brendel trailed 3-6, 6-4, 2-1 to Ann-Sophie Hahn at No. 2 while Ana Stroe was behind 3-6, 6-2, 4-1 to Bianca Zuzu at No. 6.
The Penguins have won seven straight matches at the Horizon League Championships and have won the past two titles. In 2014, YSU defeated Cleveland State and last year it knocked off Detroit. YSU defeated Wright State 6-1 on March 26 at the YSU Tennis Courts.
