Sunday, February 18, 2007

EAST LANSING, Mich. (February 18, 2007) - The ETSU women's tennis team got back on track as they defeated No. 73 Michigan State, 4-3 on Sunday in East Lansing. The Lady Bucs improve to 3-6 on the season while the Spartans fall to 7-1.

Michigan State took the early 1-0 lead as they swept all three doubles matches. In No. 1 doubles Masha Ilina (Kyiv, Ukraine) and Yevgeniya Stupak (Kyiv, Ukraine) fell to the duo of Christine Bader and Stephanie Kebler, 8-5. Tara Byrne (Johnson City, Tenn.) and Olya Batsula (Minsk, Belarus) fell to Ana Milosavljevic and Pascale Schnitzer, 8-3 in the second position, while Brittany Stewart (Nashville, Tenn.) and Vita Moskaliova (Minsk, Belarus) fell to Sarah Andrews and Jessica Baron, 8-3 in the No. 3 position.

The Lady Bucs were able to tie the match at 1-1 as freshman Yevgeniya Stupak defeated Pascale Schnitzer in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1 in the third position. The Spartans would take the lead back as Moskaliova fell to Jessica Baron 6-3, 6-2, in the No. 6 slot.

ETSU continued to battle as Ilina would again tie the match as she defeated last weeks Big 10 player of the week, Christine Bader, 1-6, 7-6(0), 6-2 in the first position. Junior Elena Volobueva (Barcelona, Spain) defeated Ana Milosavljevic, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, in the No. 5 slot giving the Lady Bucs their first lead of the match, 3-2.

Sophomore Tara Byrne then clinched the victory for the Lady Bucs as she defeated Sarah Andrews, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 in the No. 4 position. Olya Batsula fell in the second position to Stephanie Kebler, 7-6(9-7), 5-5, before retiring due to a hand cramp.

"Michigan State is a very tough team and I'm real glad we picked up the win," said head coach Steve Brooks. "We played poor in doubles, but once we got into the singles the girls really came on and played very well. We really needed this victory at this point after losing to so many other nationally ranked teams."

"Overall it was a very good win and helps get us going back in the right direction. We are really looking forward to first conference match against North Florida and then Tennessee Tech next weekend."

ETSU returns to Johnson City for a two-game homestand as they take on conference foe North Florida and Tennessee Tech on Sunday, February 25. The matches are slated to begin at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., respectively. Follow all ETSU women's tennis action at www.etsubucs.com.

ETSU 4, No. 73 Michigan State 3

Singles

No. 1- Masha Ilina (ETSU) def. Christine Bader (MSU) 1-6, 7-6(0), 6-2

No. 2- Stephanie Kebler (MSU) def. Olya Batsula (ETSU) 7-6(9-7), 5-5 ret.

No. 3- Yevgeniya Stupak (ETSU) def. Pascale Schnitzer (MSU) 6-2, 6-1

No. 4- Tara Byrne (ETSU) def. Sarah Andrews (MSU) 6-3, 5-7, 6-2

No. 5- Elena Volobueva (ETSU) def. Ana Milosavljevic (MSU) 4-6, 6-2, 6-4

No. 6- Jessica Baron (MSU) def. Vita Moskaliova (ETSU) 6-3, 6-2

Order of Finish- 3,6,1,5,4*,2

* - clinching match

Doubles

No. 1- Bader/Kebler (MSU) def. Stupak/Ilina (ETSU) 8-5

No. 2- Milosavljevic/Schnitzer (MSU) def. Byrne/Batsula (ETSU) 8-3

No. 3- Andrews/Baron (MSU) def. Stewart/Moskaliova (ETSU) 8-3