Huskies Finish 3rd at GLIAC Tournament
MIDLAND, Mich. – The Michigan Tech women's tennis team wrapped up the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament Sunday morning with an impressive 4-0 sweep of Northwood at the Great Midland Tennis Center in Midland, Michigan. The Huskies completed the tournament with a 2-1 record and took third place, having defeated Saginaw Valley State 4-0 Friday night in the quarterfinals.
"Our players competed well and played a very good match today," Michigan Tech Head Coach Kevin Kalinec said. "It was one of our best matches of the year and everyone really stepped up their games in both doubles and singles. It was a great way to end the fall schedule and it gives us some momentum going into the offseason before we get back on the courts in the spring. We look forward to competing this spring and having the chance to play for a spot in the NCAA Tournament."
Michigan Tech (9-3) and Northwood (5-7) played out all three doubles matches, with the Huskies emerging with two wins and in the process secured the first point of the overall match. Tech's victories came in the No. 2 and No. 3 spots in the lineup with freshmen Dominika Bobik and Lauren Opalewski powering past Vasilisa Mikhaylova and Iryna Trystan of Northwood 6-2. The Timberwolves grabbed the win in No. 1 doubles and the point hung in the balance with No. 3 doubles. Sophomore's Mirna Golac and Samantha Johnson came through for the Huskies with a clutch 7-6 (7-4) win over Ekaterina Vorobeva and Paula John in Sunday's match.
With the 1-0 lead in hand, the Huskies needed just three wins in singles to lock down their ninth overall victory of the year. Freshman Dominika Bobik played No.2 singles for Tech and battled Elizaveta Velichko of Northwood. Bobik edged her opponent 6-4 in the first set and then swept Velichko 6-0 in set number two for the victory.
Freshman Neva Manas had a similar result in her No. 5 singles contest against Iryna Trystan Sunday morning. Manas outlasted Trystan 6-4 in set one and with the momentum from that cruised to a 6-0 victory in the second set. Golac delivered the other singles point for the Huskies in the No.6 spot in the lineup Sunday. Golac got off to a quick start in the opening set and shutout John 6-0. Golac had a little more work to do in set two, but pulled away for a 6-3 win.
Michigan Tech closed the fall schedule with an overall record of 9-3 while going 7-2 in GLIAC matches on the way to a third-place finish in the regular season standings. The Huskies will take the winter off and be back on the court this spring, starting at Hillsdale on February 23rd. Tech will then compete at the Spring Tennis Fest in Hilton Head, S.C. in early March before traveling to NCAA Division I Wisconsin-Green Bay on April 11th. The Huskies will be in search of an at-large bid to the NCAA Midwest Regional Tournament.
Top seeded Wayne State swept Grand Valley State 4-0 in the GLIAC Tournament Championship match Sunday. The official tournament page with the complete results from the weekend can be viewed by clicking on the link at the top of the release.