No. 63 Women's Tennis Travels to Big Ten Tournament
4/21/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The No. 63 Michigan State women's tennis team travels to Northwestern to compete in the 2015 Big Ten Tournament. The tournament begins Thursday, April 23 and will continue until Sunday, April 23. The Spartans start the tournament off as the No. 9 seed and will face the No. 8 seed Minnesota Golden Gophers at 11 a.m. ET from the Vandy Christie Tennis Center.
"We are excited for this week," said head coach Simone Jardim. "I think that it helps that we have played Minnesota, and we beat them here. There a lot of things about that match we can improve on. We have lot of players who have improved from then, and we are really excited."
B1G WINS
For the first time since 1993, three Spartans finished the Big Ten season with winning records in singles play. At No. 1 singles, sophomore Erin Faulkner finished with a 6-5 record. Freshman Lexi Baylis went 6-5 at No. 2 singles and junior Emily Meyers tallied a 6-5 record at No. 6 singles.
PROGRAM ON THE RISE
For a second-straight year, Michigan State finished with a 5-6 record in the Big Ten. The five wins these last two years are the most since the 1991 season.
CHAMPIONS IN THE CLASSROOM
Seven Spartans received honors at the 2015 Spartan Academic Excellence Gala on Monday, April 13. Erin Faulkner, senior Julianne Gruber, senior Hilary Hager, Emily Meyers, senior Catherine Parenteau, sophomore Athena Trouillot and sophomore Emmy Virkus were all named to the honor roll. Meyers claimed the highest grade point average on the team.
YOUTH MOVEMENT
The freshman class has put together a combined record of 57-32 in singles play this season. The sophomore class has a record of 42-37 in singles this season.
"I think we have learned a lot of thing about ourselves," said Jardim. "They have come together; they can play some singles. I think being young there is a lot we have to learn about doubles strategy."
RECORD BREAKING BAYLIS
Lexi Baylis broke the school record against Indiana on Saturday, April 4 for the single-season singles victories at 28. Baylis holds a record of 30-8 on the year in singles.
MEYERS COMING UP B1G
Emily Meyers is coming off of a strong weekend in singles play where she went 2-0 with wins over Penn State's Jacqueline Zuhse and Ohio State's Olivia Sneed. Meyers also notched wins against Illinois, Northwestern, Nebraska and Rutgers.
"I feel that I have been working very hard all season," said Meyers. "I have been waiting for the moment when it all comes together. I think I am peaking at the right time going into the Big Ten Tournament."
LOOKING BACK
The Spartans rallied to defeat the Gophers, 4-3 on March 22. Michigan State came back from 2-0 and 3-2 deficits. The Gophers started the day taking a 2-0 lead with taking the doubles and at No. 6 singles. Senior Catherine Parenteau struck first for the Spartans at No. 4 singles, Parenteau defeated Maja Vujic, 6-3, 6-1. Sophomore Erin Faulkner notched her second singles victory of the weekend at No. 1 singles. Faulkner defeated Tereza Brichacova, 6-4, 6-3. Minnesota pushed the Spartans to the brink with a win at No. 5 singles. Freshman Aslina Chua tied the match with a win at No. 3 singles. Chua defeated Jessika Mozia 6-4, 3-6, 6-2. Freshman Lexi Baylis clinched the match in dramatic fashion with a 6-4, 7-6 (7) victory over Caroline Reba. Baylis won the second set tiebreaker 9-7 to win the match. With that win Baylis tied the school record for single-season victories at 27.
MARKING UP No. 54 MINNESOTA
The Golden Gophers come into the match at 16-9 overall and 6-5 in the Big Ten. Minnesota has lost three of its last four matches, with loses to Illinois, Northwestern and Indiana. The Gophers are led by senior Tereza Brichacova who has posted an 8-12 record at No. 1 singles and is 3-8 in Big Ten play. Minnesota boasts the No. 50 doubles team in the nation with Paula Rincon Ortero and Julia Courter.
Players Mentioned
