TicketsORLANDO, Fla. – The Bearcats women's tennis team faced off with the ECU Pirates, five days after facing each other in Greenville, in the first round of the American Athletic Conference Championship. After falling to the Pirates in Greenville, the Bearcats were determined to keep their season alive and did just that as they snapped the Pirates program-best 22 match win streak in a 4-1 victory.
// DOUBLES
Order of Finish: 3,1
No. 1 | Bramato/Coutino (CIN) def. Diercksen/Hofbauer (ECU) 6-4
No. 2 | Ruiz/Van Vreden (ECU) vs. Guna/Philp (CIN) 6-5, unfinished
No. 3 | Miceli/Morton (CIN) def. Veinsteina/Ho Chiao (ECU) 6-2
The duo of Emma Miceli and Caroline Morton were looking for redemption after their loss at ECU and got just that in a 6-2 victory on court #3 to start the day for the Bearcats. Antonella Bramato and Alexia Coutino once again faced off with Alisa Diercksen and Lisa Hofbauer, this time with the match going the distance, and came away with a 6-4 victory on court #1 to clinch the doubles point for the Bearcats.
Alexia Coutino with the bear𝗖𝗔𝗧 like reflexes to CLINCH THE DOUBLES POINT!
— Cincinnati Tennis (@GoBearcatsWTEN) April 17, 2019
1⃣: 6-4
2⃣: 5-6
3⃣: 6-2#Bearcats | #AllDay pic.twitter.com/j4p981bvFa
Antonella Bramato/Alexia Coutino advance to 13-6 for the season.
Anna Philp/Ioana Guna remain 9-8 for the season.
Emma Miceli/Caroline Morton now stand at 10-7 for the season.
// SINGLES
Order of Finish: 6,2,3,1
No. 1 | Antonella Bramato (CIN) def. Lisa Hofbauer (ECU) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
No. 2 | Celia Ruiz (ECU) def. Ioana Guna (CIN) 5-7; 6-1, 6-2
No. 3 | Caroline Morton (CIN) def. Alisa Diercksen (ECU) 7-5, 7-6 (4)
No. 4 | Maria Santilli (CIN) vs. Martina Paladini-Jennings (ECU) 7-6 (3), 4-6, 1-1
No. 5 | Alexia Coutino (CIN) vs. Minette Van Vreden (ECU) 4-6, 7-6 (3), 0-1
No. 6 | Emma Miceli (CIN) def. Hsia Ho Chiao (ECU) 6-0, 6-1
As the battle moved to singles, Emma Miceli fired the first shot across the Pirates bow in a 6-0, 6-1 victory on court #6.
It was a blustery day in Orlando and the winds turned in the Pirates favor as the battle raged on as Celia Ruiz landed a shot, cutting in to the Bearcats lead with a 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 victory on court #2. The Pirates may have thought they had the upper hand, but their swords were quite sharp enough as Caroline Morton defeated Alisa Diercksen 7-5, 7-6 (4) on court #3.Make that a 2-0 LEAD!!!
— Cincinnati Tennis (@GoBearcatsWTEN) April 17, 2019
Emma extends the #Bearcats lead with this match winner.
1️⃣: 4-6; 1-2
2️⃣: 7-5; 1-2
3️⃣: 7-5; 1-0
4️⃣: 6-6
5️⃣: 4-6; 1-2
6️⃣: 6-0; 6-1#AllDay pic.twitter.com/6zLJxuITgT
"Not so fast my friend!"
— Cincinnati Tennis (@GoBearcatsWTEN) April 17, 2019
Make it a 3-1 #Bearcats lead as Caroline Morton takes court 3!
1️⃣: 4-6; 6-3; 4-2
2️⃣: 7-5; 1-6; 2-6
3️⃣: 7-5; 7-6(3)
4️⃣: 7-6(3); 4-6; 0-0
5️⃣: 4-6; 7-6(3); 0-0
6️⃣: 6-0; 6-1#AllDay pic.twitter.com/ak94ja3i67
The final blow, sinking the Pirates and sending them to sleep with the fishes, came from the Bearcats lone senior, Antonella Bramato. After dropping the first set 6-4, Bramato came storming back to show that the Bearcats were argh-uably the better team as she took the second set 6-3 and clinched the match with a 6-2 third set victory.
SLAM THE DOOR & WALK THE PLANK!!!!!
— Cincinnati Tennis (@GoBearcatsWTEN) April 17, 2019
The #Bearcats get the UPSET & SINK THE PIRATES!!!
We're MOVING ON!#Bearcats pic.twitter.com/4CulqIiZ3N
Santilli remains 14-3 in singles for the season, including 7-0 on court #5.
Miceli stands at 13-5 for the season, including 10-3 on court #6.
Bramato moves to 9-5 for the season, including 5-1 on court #2.
Morton advances to 14-6 for the season, including 13-5 on court #3.
// COACH TOTH ON THE BEARCATS
"I want to congratulate East Carolina on a historic year. There isn't a lot of difference at conference tournament time. It's all about heart, fitness, how healthy you are and I think we check all three of those boxes and it certainly helped us get through today. The doubles were really a catalyst for today's win. In a conference tournament when you can get point number one, it puts a lot of pressure on the other team. The doubles were a step in the right direction to get to four today. We knew what we had to bring to the table and our girls, to their credit fought super hard, got it done."
// UP NEXT
The Bearcats will return to the courts to face the #2 South Florida Bulls in the quarterfinals of the American Athletic Conference Championship. The match is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. and will be held at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Florida.
// FOLLOW THE TEAM
Stay connected with UC women's tennis on Facebook (GoBearcatsWTEN), Twitter (@GoBearcatsWTEN) and Instagram (GoBearcatsWTEN).