Tennis Completes Weekend Sweep, Downs Akron, 5-2

CINCINNATI - The University of Cincinnati tennis team downed host Akron, 5-2, Sunday afternoon inside the LaTuchie Tennis Center to cap a near-perfect weekend in which the Bearcats won back-to-back duals to open the 2020 schedule. The Bearcats, who defeated Army, 7-0, one day prior, are off to a 2-0 start this year while the Zips, who fell to the Black Knights, slipped to 0-2 on the year.

// STRONG START
With a pair of wins, the Bearcats are 2-0 to open the dual season for the first time since the 2016-17 campaign in which they wen 17-7 and set a program record for dual wins in the spring. Interestingly enough, the scores matched up identically to the 2017 openers when UC defeated visiting IUPUI, 7-0, before claiming a 5-2 win at Miami (Ohio).

// TOTH TALKS
Following the match, Head Coach Eric Toth spoke about today's result and looked forward to a tough test awaiting his team Tuesday:

"(It was) a nice win and finish to the weekend today," Toth said. "Akron plays good doubles and their Top 4 in particular made it difficult for our girls today. Our competitiveness and depth got it done for us. Everyone is very excited to start the year 2-0 and earn wins over two solid programs. The stakes get higher on Tuesday against Kentucky. That is a match I know our girls are looking forward to. We need to embrace all that comes with taking on a tough SEC opponent that competes year-in and year-out against the very best in college tennis."

// DOUBLES MATCHES
Cincinnati opened its dual with Akron by claiming the doubles point as the Bearcats were victorious at both the #1 and #3 positions. First, the team of Ioana Guna and Caroline Morton collected their first dual victory of the season as they won at #1 doubles, 6-3. Right after that, Kelli Niehaus and Anna Philp combined for their second doubles win in as many days as they took a 6-4 victory to clinch the doubles point. Alexia Coutino and Emma Miceli were unable to sweep the doubles matches as they fell at #2, 7-5.

// SINGLES PLAY
Holding a 1-0 lead in the dual, the Bearcats jumped in singles action and won the first four matches finished to lock-up the team victory. First, Niehaus scored a straight-sets win at #5 singles, 6-1, 6-1, with Maria Santilli following with a 6-1, 6-0 win at #6 singles to put UC on top, 3-0. Next, Morton clinched the dual for the second time in as many days as her win at #2 singles gave UC its fourth point on the day. She won her match, 6-2, 7-5.

With the team victory secured, the Bearcats played out the remaining three matches and won one with Miceli claiming a 6-3, 6-4 victory at #4 singles. The final two matches went the way of the Zips as Coutino fell at #3 to Rita Pedroso, 6-4, 6-4, and Guna falling at #1 to Miruna Vascilescu, 4-6, 7-6 (0), 11-9.

// MORTON MARCHING
With two wins today, Morton brought her career combined wins total to 119, the #10 total in program history. She now has 66 singles victories and moved into a tie for #8 all-time in program history with former teammate Antonella Bromato (2015-19). She also moved into #11 on the doubles ledger as her 53 career wins have her one off a trio of Bearcats that finished their careers with 54 victories, including Samantha Liu (2002-05), Khushchehr Italia (2000-03) and Ashley Heiman (1986-89).

// NEXT SERVE
The Bearcats will head south to Lexington, Ky., Tuesday for a 5 p.m. contest at Kentucky.

Dual #2 • Cincinnati at Akron
January 19, 2020 • LaTuchie Tennis Center (Akron, Ohio)
Cincinnati wins, 5-2
SINGLES
1 • Miruna Vascilescu (A) def. Ioana Guna, 4-6, 7-6 (0), 11-9
2 • Caroline Morton (C) def. Claudia Rosas, 6-2, 7-5
3 • Rita Pedroso (A) def. Alexia Coutino, 6-4, 6-4
4 • Emma Miceli (C) def. Jemi Aguilar, 6-3, 6-4
5 • Kelli Niehaus (C) def. Enja Forgaci, 6-1, 6-1
6 • Maria Santilli (C) def. Tanja Derowski, 6-1, 6-0
Order of finish: 5-6-2-4-3-1

DOUBLES
1 • Guna / Morton  (C) def. Vascilescu / Aguilar, 6-3
2 • Pedroso / Rosas (A) def. Coutino / Miceli, 7-5
3 • Niehaus / Anna Philp (C) def. Derowski / Forgaci, 6-4
Order of finish: 1-3-2