Guins Open HL Tournament Play on Saturday In Semifinals
4/28/2023 1:24:00 PM | Women's Tennis
The Youngstown State women's tennis team goes for its seventh Horizon League Tournament title when the top-seeded Penguins begin action in the semifinals on Saturday morning at the Varsity Tennis Center on the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor.
YSU will face the winner of the fourth-seed Northern Kentucky vs. fifth-seed Milwaukee in the semifinals at 11 a.m. Cleveland State is the No. 2 seed and also received a bye to the semifinals. The Vikings face third-seed Chicago State, which won a marathon match against sixth-seed Oakland on Friday. The championship match is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Sunday and will be televised on ESPN+.
Youngstown State (9-8) enters the Championships on seven-match winning streak. YSU last lost a dual contest on March 9. The Guins went 6-0 in Horizon League play after beating Duquesne on March 17.
The Penguins are the defending champions having beat UIC (4-2) and Milwaukee (4-3) at last year's event which was also at Michigan. The Penguins have some "Michigan Magic" having won all four titles played in Ann Arbor.
YSU has won titles in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2022. The Guins were runners up in 2013 and 2021. The seventh postseason title will tie Notre Dame for the second most in conference history.
Regular-Season Recap
YSU played its first match of the season on Jan. 27 against Toledo. After registering wins over Carnegie Mellon and Buffalo, YSU was 2-3 on Feb. 10. Youngstown State dropped its next five matches with three coming vs. Mid-American Conference foes and two in California. After a break, YSU was finally healthy and defeated Duquesne 5-2 on March 17 to start its current winning streak.
Horizon League Numbers
In the six Horizon League matches this spring, YSU was 31-5 in singles and 7-8 in doubles. Cecilia Rosas, Julia Marko and Eliska Masarikova were a perfect 6-0 in league matches while Elisa Rigazio was 5-1. Moka Ito went 4-2 in her first year of Horizon League competition and Lili Minich posted a 3-2 record.
Horizon League Honors
For the first time in his tenure, Head Coach Mickael Sopel was recognized as the Horizon League's Women's Tennis Coach of the Year. Sopel guided a tremendous turnaround from midseason where the Guins stood at 2-8 to post a 9-8 overall record and go unbeaten in league play.
Four Penguins earned all-league accolades – Elisa Rigazio, Eliska Masarikova, Cecilia Rosas and Lili Minich. Rigazio and Masarikova were named to the first-team while Rosas and Minich were second-team selections. Masarikova was a second-team all-league pick in 2022 and this is the first-ever honor for Rigazio. Rosas becomes a third-time all-league selection in her career earning second-team honors twice and first-team once. Minich garners all-league kudos for the first time in her two seasons in the Red and White.
Postseason Run Since 2013
The Penguins have won 16 of their last 18 Horizon League Tournament matches since 2013. The only two defeats came to UIC - the 2021 championship match and the 2013 championship contest. YSU previously won league titles in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 and 2022.
Horizon League Tournament History
All-time in Horizon League Tournament play, the Penguins own a 28-12 mark. The Guins have reached the finals in their last eight Horizon League Championship appearances, including 2022.
For news and updates throughout the tournament, follow the Youngstown State women's tennis program on Twitter @YSUWomensTennis
