OXFORD, Ohio – The Western Michigan women's tennis team saw its season end in the 2015 Mid-American Conference Tournament on Saturday, as the Ball State Cardinals edged out the Broncos 4-2 on Miami's campus in the semifinal round of the tournament. With the loss, the Broncos conclude the season with a 15-9 overall record, their best single-season wins total since they won 17 matches in the 2012 season.
The Broncos battled through a difficult match against the third-seeded Cardinals, tying the match at 2-2 thanks to back-to-back wins in the middle of the singles line-up. Ball State closed out the day with a tiebreaker win at No. 5 singles and a three-set victory in the No. 1 slot, though, taking the close decision as WMU attempted to complete the comeback.
Both Barbare Eristavi and Tracy Kuhle finished off their seasons with eight-match win streaks in singles matches, claiming wins in the Nos. 3 and 4 singles matches, respectively, on Saturday. Erisvati and Toni Ormond played a quick three-set match, trading the first two sets in rapid succession to send it to a full third set. Eristavi closed it out from there, beating Ormond 6-2 in the third set for a 6-3, 0-6, 6-2 decision. Kuhle's match featured far less drama but came at an important time, as the sophomore downed Ashlyn Rang 6-3, 6-4 to tie the match at 2-2.
Rosalinda Calderon gave Ball State a 3-2 lead with a win over Yuriko Ono in the No. 6 singles match, beating her 9-7 in the second set tiebreaker to take the decision. Courtney Wild closed out the match with a three-setter over Meika Ashby, winning 6-0 in the third set to conclude.
Ball State University 4, Western Michigan University 2
Singles competition
1. Courtney Wild (BALL) def. Meika Ashby (WMU) 6-0, 5-7, 6-0
2. Courtney Earnest (BALL) vs. Olivia Myers (WMU) 7-5, 4-6, 2-2, unfinished
3. Barbare Eristavi (WMU) def. Toni Ormond (BALL) 6-3, 0-6, 6-2
4. Tracy Kuhle (WMU) def. Ashlyn Rang (BALL) 6-3, 6-4
5. Rosalinda Calderon (BALL) def. Yuriko Ono (WMU) 6-0, 7-6 (9-7)
6. Bethany Moore (BALL) def. Caroline Aleck (WMU) 6-2, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. Rosalinda Calderon/Courtney Earnest (BALL) def. Caroline Aleck/Meika Ashby (WMU) 6-1
2. Bethany Moore/Courtney Wild (BALL) def. Barbare Eristavi/Yuriko Ono (WMU) 6-2
3. Tracy Kuhle/Olivia Myers (WMU) vs. Toni Ormond/Ashlyn Rang (BALL) 5-2, unfinished
Match Notes:
Ball State University 17-5
Western Michigan University 15-9
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (6,3,4,5,1)
MAC Women's Tennis Championship Semifinals
