TicketsApril 20, 2010
2010 BIG EAST Championship Bracket
CINCINNATI- The University of Cincinnati women's tennis team will square off against West Virginia in the first round of the BIG EAST Women's Tennis Championships, Thursday, April 22, at 9 a.m. The Bearcats earned the tournament's No. 9 seed, while West Virginia was awarded the No. 8 seed. The match will be played at the Courtney Tennis Center on the campus of Notre Dame University.
Cincinnati (11-11, 3-3 BIG EAST) has qualified for the BIG EAST Championships now in consecutive seasons, and last year were defeated in the first round by Pittsburgh, 4-3. They beat Connecticut the following match, 7-0, to advance in the consolation bracket, before being eliminated by St. John's, 4-3, in the ninth-place match.
The Bearcats and Mountaineers (16-6, 6-2 BIG EAST), met earlier this season in Cincinnati (Feb. 28), with the Bearcats falling, 5-2.
UC is coming off a thrilling 4-3 victory over crosstown rival Xavier (April 13). The Bearcats ended the regular season, winning six of their last eight matches, including a modest two match winning streak heading into postseason play.
Leading the way for Cincinnati is Ksenia Slynko. The sophomore ended the season with a 15-7 record, including an 11-4 mark in the No. 1 singles flight. A season ago in the BIG EAST Championship, Slynko went 3-0 in individual match play.
Fellow sophomore Safiyya Ismail finished the season 8-14, including a straight set win that clinched the victory for UC over rival Xavier. Ismail is now 2-0 in her career against the Musketeers.
After a slow start to the season, including four three-set defeats, junior Lindsey Lonergan has come on strong, winning five of her past eight matches and improving her record to 7-14 on the season.
Caitlin O'Gara and Elise Woulfe capped off sensational freshmen campaigns with two set victories, 6-0, 6-4, and 7-6 (9-7), 6-1, respectively, against Xavier. The duo has each won two matches in a row, five of their past seven overall, and share identical 13-9 records.
Junior Abby Mayo notched her fifth win of the season and helped seal the victory against Xavier with a two-set triumph, 6-3, 6-2.
In doubles action, the Bearcats have two teams that boast .500 records or better, including the duo of Slynko and Woulfe, who are 10-7, and the team of Ismail and Lonergan, who are 9-9. Ismail and Lonergan were victorious against West Virginia earlier this season in doubles play, winning 8-3.
The key to the match against West Virginia will be capturing the doubles point early. Against the Mountaineers earlier this season, the Bearcats fell behind quickly in the match, 1-0, by losing the doubles point. Notching victories in singles play for UC was Slynko (6-3, 6-3), and O'Gara, who won a dramatic three-set victory, 7-6 (2), 6-7 (14), 10-8.
The winner will play the following day, Friday, April 23, at 9 a.m. against No. 1 seed and nationally-ranked Notre Dame.
For a complete recap stay tuned to www.GoBEARCATS.com.