TicketsGREENVILLE, North Carolina – The Bearcats women's tennis team faced off with American Athletic Conference foe, ECU and came up just short in a 4-3 loss.
After falling behind 3-0, the Bearcats came roaring back to tie the match 3-3. For the third straight match it all came down to the final court in play. The Bearcats continued to fight to the finish but once again faced heartbreak.
// DOUBLES
Order of Finish: 3,2
No. 1 | Diercksen/Hofbauer (ECU) vs. Bramato/Coutino (CIN) 4-4, unfinished
No. 2 | Ruiz/Van Vreden (ECU) def. Guna/Philp (CIN) 6-3
No. 3 | Rettich/Ho Chiao (ECU) def. Miceli/Morton (CIN) 6-1
The Pirates jumped out to an early lead in doubles following a 6-1 victory on court #3 and clinched the point after a 6-3 victory on court #2.
Antonella Bramato/Alexia Coutino remain 11-6 for the season.
Anna Philp/Ioana Guna move to 9-7 for the season.
Emma Miceli/Caroline Morton now stand at 8-7 for the season.
// SINGLES
Order of Finish: 5,2,4,3,6,1
No. 1 | Lisa Hofbauer (ECU) def. Antonella Bramato (CIN) 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (5)
No. 2 | Celia Ruiz (ECU) def. Ioana Guna (CIN) 6-2, 6-2
No. 3 | Caroline Morton (CIN) def. Alisa Diercksen (ECU) 6-3, 7-5
No. 4 | Maria Santilli (CIN) def. M. Paladini-Jennings (ECU) 6-1, 6-2
No. 5 | Minette Van Vreden (ECU) def. Anna Philp (CIN) 6-1, 6-2
No. 6 | Emma Miceli (CIN) def. Hsia Ho Chiao (ECU) 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-0
ECU carried their momentum in to singles as they claimed victories on courts #5 and #2. The Pirates were pushing the Bearcats slowly to the edge of the plank, but the Bearcats would not go easily. Maria Santilli began to swing the momentum in the Bearcats' favor as she notched her fourteenth victory of the season in a 6-1, 6-2 showing on court #2. Caroline Morton kept things going as she cut in to the Pirates lead following a 6-3, 7-5 victory on court #3. Emma Miceli tied things up following a three-set battle where she prevailed 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-0.
Once the attention turned to the final court in play as Antonella Bramato squared off with ECU's Lisa Hofbauer. Bramato took the first set in a 6-3 showing, but Hofbauer forced a third set as she took the second 6-2. After falling behind 6-5, Bramato came roaring back to force a tiebreak in the match clinching set. The two competitors left everything on the court with Hofbauer coming out on top in the tiebreak.
Santilli advances to 14-3 in singles for the season, including 7-0 on court #5.
Miceli stands at 11-5 for the season, including 8-3 on court #6.
Bramato drops to 8-5 for the season, including 5-1 on court #2.
Morton is now 12-6 for the season, including 11-5 on court #3.
// COACH TOTH ON THE BEARCATS
"A terrific college tennis match that unfortunately we came up a couple of points short. Our fight was there like it's been all year, so I can't fault in how we competed. You play a team in East Carolina that has now won 21 matches in a row and to go right down to a third set tiebreaker on the final court against a team with loads of confidence shows that you at least left it all out there. We have a resilient group. We'll regroup tomorrow and be ready for UCONN on Sunday."
// UP NEXT
The Bearcats will conclude the regular season with a neutral site match against the UConn Huskies on Sunday, April 14 at 2 p.m. in Greenville, North Carolina.
// FOLLOW THE TEAM
Stay connected with UC women's tennis on Facebook (GoBearcatsWTEN), Twitter (@GoBearcatsWTEN) and Instagram (GoBearcatsWTEN).
After falling behind 3-0, the Bearcats came roaring back to tie the match 3-3. For the third straight match it all came down to the final court in play. The Bearcats continued to fight to the finish but once again faced heartbreak.
// DOUBLES
Order of Finish: 3,2
No. 1 | Diercksen/Hofbauer (ECU) vs. Bramato/Coutino (CIN) 4-4, unfinished
No. 2 | Ruiz/Van Vreden (ECU) def. Guna/Philp (CIN) 6-3
No. 3 | Rettich/Ho Chiao (ECU) def. Miceli/Morton (CIN) 6-1
The Pirates jumped out to an early lead in doubles following a 6-1 victory on court #3 and clinched the point after a 6-3 victory on court #2.
Antonella Bramato/Alexia Coutino remain 11-6 for the season.
Anna Philp/Ioana Guna move to 9-7 for the season.
Emma Miceli/Caroline Morton now stand at 8-7 for the season.
// SINGLES
Order of Finish: 5,2,4,3,6,1
No. 1 | Lisa Hofbauer (ECU) def. Antonella Bramato (CIN) 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (5)
No. 2 | Celia Ruiz (ECU) def. Ioana Guna (CIN) 6-2, 6-2
No. 3 | Caroline Morton (CIN) def. Alisa Diercksen (ECU) 6-3, 7-5
No. 4 | Maria Santilli (CIN) def. M. Paladini-Jennings (ECU) 6-1, 6-2
No. 5 | Minette Van Vreden (ECU) def. Anna Philp (CIN) 6-1, 6-2
No. 6 | Emma Miceli (CIN) def. Hsia Ho Chiao (ECU) 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-0
ECU carried their momentum in to singles as they claimed victories on courts #5 and #2. The Pirates were pushing the Bearcats slowly to the edge of the plank, but the Bearcats would not go easily. Maria Santilli began to swing the momentum in the Bearcats' favor as she notched her fourteenth victory of the season in a 6-1, 6-2 showing on court #2. Caroline Morton kept things going as she cut in to the Pirates lead following a 6-3, 7-5 victory on court #3. Emma Miceli tied things up following a three-set battle where she prevailed 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-0.
Once the attention turned to the final court in play as Antonella Bramato squared off with ECU's Lisa Hofbauer. Bramato took the first set in a 6-3 showing, but Hofbauer forced a third set as she took the second 6-2. After falling behind 6-5, Bramato came roaring back to force a tiebreak in the match clinching set. The two competitors left everything on the court with Hofbauer coming out on top in the tiebreak.
Santilli advances to 14-3 in singles for the season, including 7-0 on court #5.
Miceli stands at 11-5 for the season, including 8-3 on court #6.
Bramato drops to 8-5 for the season, including 5-1 on court #2.
Morton is now 12-6 for the season, including 11-5 on court #3.
// COACH TOTH ON THE BEARCATS
"A terrific college tennis match that unfortunately we came up a couple of points short. Our fight was there like it's been all year, so I can't fault in how we competed. You play a team in East Carolina that has now won 21 matches in a row and to go right down to a third set tiebreaker on the final court against a team with loads of confidence shows that you at least left it all out there. We have a resilient group. We'll regroup tomorrow and be ready for UCONN on Sunday."
// UP NEXT
The Bearcats will conclude the regular season with a neutral site match against the UConn Huskies on Sunday, April 14 at 2 p.m. in Greenville, North Carolina.
// FOLLOW THE TEAM
Stay connected with UC women's tennis on Facebook (GoBearcatsWTEN), Twitter (@GoBearcatsWTEN) and Instagram (GoBearcatsWTEN).