TicketsBLOOMINGTON, Ind. – University of Cincinnati women's tennis battled to push the decision to the final court before ultimately falling 4-3 at Indiana on Sunday.
"It was a hard fought match that did not completely go our way today," head coach Eric Toth said. "Indiana was the better team for the first half of the match and it cost us. We finally got into the match and started competing the way you need to against good teams. There were some positives, as there were yesterday, and I look forward to seeing how this team continues to improve as our season begins."
Cincinnati is now 1-2 on the season.
Indiana claimed the double point with wins on courts two and three. Redshirt junior Cassie McLay and sophomore Elizabeth Pendergast were leading on court one 5-4 when the Hoosiers claimed the initial lead.
A trio of Bearcats secured wins on their respective singles courts. Freshman Katie Ferguson earned her first collegiate dual match win with a straight-set win on court six, 6-4, 6-3. Redshirt junior Kelli Niehaus clinched her second singles win of the weekend with a 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 victory on court four, while redshirt senior Maria Santilli picked up the Bearcats' third point with a 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 win on court three.
Cincinnati will be back in action on Wednesday, Jan. 25 when it makes the short trip south to take on Kentucky inside Hilary J. Boone Varsity Tennis Complex at 10 a.m. ET.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati women's tennis, please visit GoBEARCATS.com and follow @GoBearcatsWTEN on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
RESULTS
Indiana 4, Cincinnati 3
Jan. 22, 2023 | Bloomington, Ind. | IU Tennis Center
Doubles
1. Cassie McLay / Elizabeth Pendergast (CIN) vs. Saby Nihalani / Lara Schneider (IND), 5-4 (unfinished)
2. Mila Mejic / Lauren Lemonds (IND) def. Kelli Niehaus / Maria Santilli (CIN), 6-0
3. Alexandra Staiculescu / Xiaowei Hu (IND) def. Sofia Bruno / Callie Flanagan (CIN), 6-4
ORDER OF FINISH: 2,3
Singles
1. Lara Schneider (IND) def. Elizabeth Pendergast (CIN), 6-7 (7-5), 6-0, 6-3
2. Saby Nihalani (IND) def. Cassie McLay (CIN), 6-1, 7-6 (7-2)
3. Maria Santilli (CIN) def. Alexandra Staiculescu (IND), 7-5, 3-6, 7-5
4. Kelli Niehaus (CIN) def. Mila Mejic (IND), 5-7, 6-3, 6-4
5. Lauren Lemonds (IND) def. Callie Flanagan (CIN), 6-4, 7-5
6. Katie Ferguson (CIN) def. Xiaowei Hu (IND), 6-4, 6-3
ORDER OF FINISH: 5,6,2,1,4,3
"It was a hard fought match that did not completely go our way today," head coach Eric Toth said. "Indiana was the better team for the first half of the match and it cost us. We finally got into the match and started competing the way you need to against good teams. There were some positives, as there were yesterday, and I look forward to seeing how this team continues to improve as our season begins."
Cincinnati is now 1-2 on the season.
Indiana claimed the double point with wins on courts two and three. Redshirt junior Cassie McLay and sophomore Elizabeth Pendergast were leading on court one 5-4 when the Hoosiers claimed the initial lead.
A trio of Bearcats secured wins on their respective singles courts. Freshman Katie Ferguson earned her first collegiate dual match win with a straight-set win on court six, 6-4, 6-3. Redshirt junior Kelli Niehaus clinched her second singles win of the weekend with a 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 victory on court four, while redshirt senior Maria Santilli picked up the Bearcats' third point with a 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 win on court three.
Cincinnati will be back in action on Wednesday, Jan. 25 when it makes the short trip south to take on Kentucky inside Hilary J. Boone Varsity Tennis Complex at 10 a.m. ET.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati women's tennis, please visit GoBEARCATS.com and follow @GoBearcatsWTEN on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
RESULTS
Indiana 4, Cincinnati 3
Jan. 22, 2023 | Bloomington, Ind. | IU Tennis Center
Doubles
1. Cassie McLay / Elizabeth Pendergast (CIN) vs. Saby Nihalani / Lara Schneider (IND), 5-4 (unfinished)
2. Mila Mejic / Lauren Lemonds (IND) def. Kelli Niehaus / Maria Santilli (CIN), 6-0
3. Alexandra Staiculescu / Xiaowei Hu (IND) def. Sofia Bruno / Callie Flanagan (CIN), 6-4
ORDER OF FINISH: 2,3
Singles
1. Lara Schneider (IND) def. Elizabeth Pendergast (CIN), 6-7 (7-5), 6-0, 6-3
2. Saby Nihalani (IND) def. Cassie McLay (CIN), 6-1, 7-6 (7-2)
3. Maria Santilli (CIN) def. Alexandra Staiculescu (IND), 7-5, 3-6, 7-5
4. Kelli Niehaus (CIN) def. Mila Mejic (IND), 5-7, 6-3, 6-4
5. Lauren Lemonds (IND) def. Callie Flanagan (CIN), 6-4, 7-5
6. Katie Ferguson (CIN) def. Xiaowei Hu (IND), 6-4, 6-3
ORDER OF FINISH: 5,6,2,1,4,3