Michigan State University
Yonex Spartan Cup
Women's Tennis Begins Play At The Yonex Spartan Cup
9/24/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Sept. 24, 2004
East Lansing, Mich. -
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
The Michigan State women's tennis team opened its fall season today against Eastern Michigan (EMU), Miami (Ohio) (MU) and Toledo (UT) at the The Yonex Spartan Cup. Play will resume tomorrow for the second quarterfinal singles matches along with the semifinal doubles match. Matches begin at 9 a.m. at the MSU Outdoor Tennis Courts.
Starting with "A" doubles, the newly paired duo of senior Keri Thompson (Clark Lake, Mich.) and sophomore Sarah Andrews (Darwin, Australia) defeated EMU's Catharina Bestahorn and Flavia Micati, 8-3.
"Keri and I have similar personalities so that helped with our matches today," commented Andrews on the newly formed doubles team. "This summer we played in a couple of tournaments together so we had some experience going into today."
"Sarah has a different game than what I'm used to with my former partner Caroline Lay," said Thompson. "But I was able to adjust accordingly. We played very well today and had good serves. Our goal is to win the whole tournament."
MU's Maura Trauernicht and Laura Vlasek defeated sophomore MacKenzie Hanna (Kalamazoo, Mich.) and junior Marta Walasek (Ann Arbor, Mich.), 8-2. Hanna and Walasek continued play in the doubles consolation but fell to EMU's Bestahorn and Micati, 8-4.
"Last season I went through some illnesses and didn't get to play much," said Walasek. "So it's been great to be healthy this year and get back on the court."
MU's Victoria Pulido and Remy Swain defeated MSU's team of freshman Eilene Cotter (Jackson, Mich.) and senior Karen Gustafson (East Lansing, Mich.) 8-2. Despite the loss, Cotter and Gustafson defeated UT's Sarah Horning and Daniella Moran in the doubles consolation, 8-1. Cotter and Gustafson will continue play tomorrow as they face MU's Kylee Wiedand and Christy Scardina.
The "A" flight singles saw the Spartan debut of freshman Christine Bader (Okemos, Mich.) who defeated MU's Remy Swain 6-3, 6-2. Walasek was beating EMU's Ying Kansuthi 7-6, but did not finish a second set as Kansuthi withdrew because of an illness.
"I was really nervous before the matches today but my team helped me through," said Bader. "It was great to see that the hard work we put in this summer has really paid off."
MU's "B" flight singles seemed to be predominated over three of the first round draws as Scardina defeated senior Marissa Macholz (East Lansing, Mich.) 6-0, 6-1. Wiegand also defeated MSU's Hanna, 6-2, 6-0. Vlasek defeated MSU's Cotter 6-1, 6-2.
However, Andrews defeated MU's Trauernicht, 6-2, 6-0 and Gustafson defeated UT's Horning 6-3, 6-0.
Gustafson, Bader, Walasek, Andrews and Thompson (first-round bye) will all advance to the quarterfinal round of their flights which resumes play tomorrow (Saturday).
"I think today was the best start we've ever had in a tournament," said MSU head coach Tim Bauer on today's performance. "We're not playing perfect tennis, but we're headed in the right direction. We're looking forward to tomorrow."
Players Mentioned
