After defeating Western Michigan in the Mid-American Conference Finals last season, the women's tennis team revisited the Broncos in a feel for things to come.
Over the weekend, the Bulls and eight other MAC programs played in the Fall MAC Invitational. The event is the only time the tennis teams face off against each other prior to the spring season in March.
Junior Denise Harijanto shined for the Bulls as she won the flight three singles title. In her first appearance of the season, she easily disposed of Ball State's Hanna Ohman on the first day of the tournament. On day two, she defeated Samantha Kintzel of Bowling Green in straight sets 6-0, 6-3.
With the Broncos threatening to take all seven matches on the final day, Harijanto wore out Western Michigan's Rachel Denny, beating her 6-2, 6-1, which completed her undefeated weekend.
Senior Smaranda Stan also had a great weekend playing in flight two. After going down a set on day one, she stormed back to beat Toledo's Ashley Frey 2-6, 6-3, 6-2.
The second day was easier for Stan as she overcame Northern Illinois' Lilian Asuaje in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2. Western Michigan sophomore Amanda Moccia proved to be too much for Stan in the final as she fell 6-1, 2-6, 6-1.
The team managed to tally third place finishes in flights one, four, five and six.
After defeating Cara Wald of Miami (OH) on Friday, sophomore Diana Popescu was unable to grab a second straight victory as she fell to Western Michigan's Kerstin Pahl, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. Popescu recovered from the loss as she took out Toledo's Martina Wodzinski 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 on Sunday to take third place in flight one.
In flight four, junior Diana Toia took out Eastern Michigan's Joanna Woo in straight sets 6-0, 6-3 on Friday. She proceeded to fall to Bowling Green's Katia Babina in two close sets, 7-5, 7-6, but took third place in the flight after knocking off Woo 6-0, 6-3 in the third place final.
Junior Anna Subenkova took third place in flight six, disposing of Jessica Azoulay of Toledo 6-4, 6-3. She made the first place match by taking out Miami's Jessica Parr and falling to Stefanie Menoff of Bowling Green.
In flight five, sophomore Aleksandra Petrova took third place after defeating Jeremie Benjamin from Akron in straight sets 6-2, 6-2. She advanced by defeating Emily Rogers of Northern Illinois before falling to Toledo's Jenny Belsky.
Western Michigan proved to be the class of the tournament, going 21-1 in singles matches. The Broncos also dominated in doubles going 9-2.
The tournament did not have team scoring, but it provided all nine MAC teams with a chance to get a glimpse of their conference competition. Buffalo's first MAC contest of the spring will take place on March 20.
The Bulls will travel to Philadelphia at the end of the month to take part in the ITA Regionals. The event begins on Oct. 17.
