KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Western Michigan women's team to its second straight Mid-American Conference win in their its 2015 MAC home opener, defeating the Ball State Cardinals 5-2 at West Hills Athletic Club. The Broncos improve to 10-8 overall and 2-1 in MAC play and will continue their weekend of conference action with a road trip to Eastern Michigan on Sunday.
The Broncos swept through the Cardinal line-up en route to the victory, taking the doubles point and winning each of the first four singles matches on the courts to ensure the team victory. Three players went undefeated on the afternoon, with Barbare Eristavi, Yuriko Ono and Tracy Kuhle all winning both their respective singles and doubles matches.
Kuhle teamed up with Olivia Myers to deliver the first victory of the afternoon, beating Ashlyn Rang and Toni Ormond 6-3 in the No. 3 singles match to give WMU the edge. Eristavi and Ono tacked on to their team-leading doubles wins total with an impressive win in the No. 2 doubles match, beating Courtney Wild and Bethany Moore 6-3 to improve to 13-5 together this season.
With the doubles point now in hand the Broncos stayed on the offensive, blitzing the Cardinals for four straight singles wins to clinch the team win. Senior Caroline Aleck was the first to strike, defeating Moore 6-2, 6-1 in the No. 6 singles match to push the team ahead by a 2-0 score. Ono beat Rosalinda Calderon 6-1, 6-4 in the No. 5 singles match to force match point, and Eristavi overcame a first-set tiebreaker with Rang in the No. 3 singles match to win 7-6 (3), 6-1 and put a stamp on the victory. Kuhle punctuated the proceedings with a three-set win over Ormond, coming back from a set down to win 4-6, 6-4, 2-6 in the No. 4 singles matches.
Western Michigan 5, Ball State 2
SINGLES
Courtney Wild (BSU) def. Meika Ashby (WMU) 4-6, 6-1, 6-4
Courtney Earnest (BSU) def. Olivia Myers (WMU) 6-0, 6-7 (5), 1-0 (5)
Barbare Eristavi (WMU) def. Ashlyn Rang (BSU) 7-6 (3), 6-1
Tracy Kuhle (WMU) def. Toni Ormond (BSU) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
Yuriko Ono (WMU) def. Rosalinda Calderon (BSU) 6-1, 6-4
Caroline Aleck (WMU) def. Bethany Moore (BSU) 6-2, 6-1
Order of finish: 6,5,3,4,2,1
DOUBLES
Courtney Earnest/Rosalinda Calderon (BSU) Def. Meika Ashby/Caroline Aleck (WMU) 6-1
Barbare Eristavi/Yuriko Ono (WMU) def. Courtney Wild/Bethany Moore (BSU) 6-3
Tracy Kuhle/Olivia Myers (WMU) def. Ashlyn Rang/Toni Ormond (BSU) 6-3
Order of finish: 3,2
