Michigan
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Western Michigan
Wolverines Shut Out Broncos to Start 2011 Dual-Match Schedule
1/23/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Jan. 23, 2011
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Varsity Tennis Center)
Result: #8 Michigan 7, Western Michigan 0
Records: U-M (1-0), WMU (0-2)
Next U-M Match: Saturday, Jan. 29 -- vs. Auburn in ITA Kick-Off (Varsity Tennis Center), 2 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 8-ranked University of Michigan women's tennis team won all nine matches in a 7-0 shutout win over Western Michigan in its dual-match season-opener Sunday afternoon (Jan. 23) at the Varsity Tennis Center.
U-M started the afternoon with wins on all three doubles courts to enter singles play with the 1-0 advantage. Senior Rika Tatsuno (Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif./Palos Verdes Peninsula) and junior Michelle Sulahian (Valley Glen, Calif./Campbell Hall School) teamed up for an 8-2 decision at the No. 3 slot after sprinting out to a 6-0 advantage. Freshman Brooke Bolender (Delray Beach, Fla./Kaplan) and senior Denise Muresan (Lincolnshire, Ill./Adlai E. Stevenson) clinched the doubles point for the Wolverines with an 8-1 victory at the No. 2 position just a few minutes later.
The Wolverines stayed perfect in doubles play when freshman Sam Critser (Mountainview, Calif./Mountainview) and sophomore Mimi Nguyen (Long Beach, Calif./Millikan) scored an 8-5 decision at the No. 1 position. The Michigan duo broke WMU to go up 7-5 and served out the match on the ensuing game.
The momentum carried over into singles, with Nguyen making quick work of Mila Shustova at the No. 3 position (6-0, 6-0) as the first Wolverine off court. Bolender surrendered just three sets in a 6-0, 6-3 win over Rachel Denny at No. 4, and Sulahian clinched the match for the Wolverines at No. 6 with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over April Kerr.
Muresan survived a break on her serve to start the match, eventually finding her rhythm in a 6-3, 6-0 win over WMU's Maggie Remynse at the top of the lineup. Tatsuno followed with a 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 5, and Critser rounded out the Wolverine victories, breaking serve on the final game for a 7-5, 6-3 win over Maria Nivia at No. 2.
The Wolverines continue their homestand to begin the 2011 season next weekend (Jan. 29-30), hosting Auburn, North Carolina State and Southern California in the ITA Kick-Off with a berth to the ITA Indoor Championships on the line. On Saturday (Jan. 29), N.C. State and USC will square off at 10 a.m., followed by Michigan and Auburn at 2 p.m. The winners will play on Sunday (Jan. 30) at 2 p.m., with the consolation match scheduled for 10 a.m.
Following are match-by-match results:
Singles
No. 1 -- No. 11 Denise Muresan (U-M) d. Maggie Remynse (WMU), 6-3, 6-0
No. 2 -- No. 105 Sam Critser (U-M) vs. Maria Nivia (WMU), 7-5, 6-3
No. 3 -- Mimi Nguyen (U-M) d. Mila Shustova (WMU), 6-0, 6-0
No. 4 -- Brooke Bolender (U-M) d. Rachel Denny (WMU), 6-0, 6-3
No. 5 -- Rika Tatsuno (U-M) d. Jill Pastunink (WMU), 6-3, 6-2
No. 6 -- Michelle Sulahian (U-M) d. April Kerr (WMU), 6-2, 6-2
Doubles
No. 1 -- Critser/Nguyen (U-M) d. Nivia/Pastunink (WMU), 8-5
No. 2 -- Bolender/Muresan (U-M) d. Moccia/Kerr (WMU), 8-1
No. 3 -- Sulahian/Tatsuno (U-M) d. Remynse/Shustova (WMU), 8-2
Order of completion: Singles 3-4-6-1-5-2; Doubles 3-2-1
N O T E S
• Michigan has won 23 in a row over Western Michigan.
• The Wolverines won their third consecutive season opener.
• Sam Critser has won eight matches in a row, and Denise Muresan picked up her fourth consecutive victory.
• It is the 26th shutout win for coach Ronni Bernstein during her tenure at Michigan (2008-present).
Q U O T E S
Michigan Head Coach Ronni Bernstein
On opening the season with a win ... "We are happy. It is always great to get that first match out of the way and get a win. With our freshmen, Sam (Critser) and Brooke (Bolender), it was their first match. It is good way to get them involved, to get a taste of what the season is about. We played really well and took care of business, which is what we needed to do. Western always comes in here and fights. I was just really happy with Sam and Brooke today. They are going to do some great things at Michigan."
On doubles play today ... "Our doubles play was good, and I am happy with that. Denise (Muresan) and Brooke (Bolender) played really well there at No. 2. We had to shuffle the lineup a bit today, but we are able to do with the style of play we have. We work a lot in practice on how we want to play doubles, so we are pretty interchangeable. Michelle (Sulahian) did a great job with Rika (Tatsuno). We still need to work on energy in the doubles. We need to pick that up, but that is something we can control."
On hosting the ITA Kick-Off next weekend ... "We are excited and looking forward to next weekend. The girls are excited to get to play in front of our own fans. We are hoping to pack the house and feed off the energy of our fans. The girls had a great year last year, so it is nice to get rewarded with the opportunity to host this event. We have three quality teams coming in, and hopefully we can play well against Auburn in that opening match."
Contact: Sarah VanMetre (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
