Michigan
ASU Thunderbird
Wolverines Wrap Up Fall Play at ASU Thunderbird Invitational
11/4/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Nov. 6, 2011
Site: Tempe, Ariz. (Whiteman Tennis Center)
Event: ASU Thunderbird Invitational
U-M Team Result: No Team Scoring
Next U-M Event: Sat-Mon., Jan. 14-16 -- host Michigan Invitational (Varsity Tennis Center)
TEMPE, Ariz. -- The University of Michigan women's tennis team concluded its fall season with a solid performance at the annual ASU Thunderbird Invitational, capping its appearance with a perfect sweep on the final day of competition on Sunday (Nov. 6) at the Sun Devils' Whiteman Tennis Center.
Freshman Sarah Lee (Los Angeles, Calif./Campbell School) and senior Michelle Sulahian (Valley Glen, Calif./Campbell School) each recorded three singles wins to headline the Wolverine performance at the three-day event. Lee highlighted her 3-1 appearance with a decisive 6-3, 6-4 decision over San Diego's No. 55-ranked Stephanie Hoffpauir in the opening round. After falling to another ranked opponent, Arizona State's No. 115 Michelle Brycki in the second round, Lee bounced back with consecutive consolation victories, including a 6-1, 6-3 decision over San Diego's Juliette Coupez on the final day.
Sulahian similarly rebounded from an early defeat, claiming three of her final four matches in the consolation bracket. Among her victories, Sulahian defeated two Arizona State opponents, edging Joanna Smith, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, before claiming a quick final-day decision when Leighann Sahagun retired with the Wolverine player up 3-0 in the opening set.
Freshman Kristen Dodge (Barrington, Ill./Barrington HS) split four singles matches, claiming a pair of consolation victories after falling to California's No. 88-ranked Anett Schutting, 6-1, 6-4, in the opening round. Both of Dodge's wins came against Ohio State opponents; she defeated Fidan Manashirova, 6-4, 6-7 (2), 6-1, and capped the tournament with a straight-set decision over Kelsey Haviland, 7-5, 6-0.
Sophomore Brooke Bolender (Delray Beach, Fla./Kaplan HS), ranked No. 62 in the preseason ITA poll, rallied from first-set losses to claim each of her early-round matches before falling to California's No. 41-ranked Tayler Davis, 2-6, 6-3, 6-1, in the quarterfinal round.
Michigan's two representative doubles tandems rebounded from first-day losses to claim back-to-back victories to close out the event, including lopsided wins over pairings from California on the final day. Sulahian and junior Mimi Nguyen (Long Beach, Calif./Millikan HS), who withdrew from the singles draw with illness, cruised past Zsofi Susanyi and Alice Duranteau, 8-2, while rookies Dodge and Lee defeated Davis and Estlander, 8-3.
The Wolverines will wrap up tournament action after the calendar flips to 2012, hosting the Michigan Invitational, Jan. 14-16, at the Varsity Tennis Center.
U-M RESULTS
Singles
No. 62 Brooke Bolender
Friday, Nov. 4 (First Round) -- d. Cecilia Estlander (California), 4-6, 6-4, 6-0
Friday, Nov. 4 (Second Round) -- d. Julette Coupez (San Diego), 2-6, 7-5, 6-4
Saturday, Nov. 5 (Quarterfinals) -- l. No. 41 Tayler Davis (California), 2-6, 6-3, 6-1
Kristen Dodge
Friday, Nov. 4 (First Round) -- l. No. 88 Anett Schutting (California), 6-1, 6-4
Saturday, Nov. 5 (Consolations) -- d. Fidan Manashirova (Ohio State), 6-4, 6-7 (2), 6-1
Saturday, Nov. 5 (Consolations) -- l. Cecilia Estlander (California), 6-2, 6-4
Sunday, Nov. 6 (Consolations) -- d. Kelsey Haviland (Ohio State) ,7-5, 6-0
Sarah Lee
Friday, Nov. 4 (First Round) -- d. No. 55 Stephanie Hoffpauir (San Diego), 6-3, 6-4
Friday, Nov. 4 (Second Round) -- l. No. 115 Michelle Brycki (Arizona State), 6-2, 6-1
Saturday, Nov. 5 (Consolations) -- d. Melissa McQueen (Fresno State), 6-1, 5-7, 6-2
Sunday, Nov. 6 (Consolations) -- d. Juliette Coupez (San Diego), 6-1, 6-3
Mimi Nguyen
Friday, Nov. 4 (First Round) -- l. No. 64 Anastasia Putilina (Utah), 5-7, 6-1, 4-1 (ret.)
Michelle Sulahian
Friday, Nov. 4 (First Round) -- l. Karla Bonacic (Kansas State), 6-4, 6-4
Friday, Nov. 4 (Consolations) -- d. Joanna Smith (Arizona State), 6-2, 3-6, 6-4
Saturday, Nov. 5 (Consolations) -- d. Kelsey Haviland (Ohio State), 7-5, 7-6 (3)
Saturday, Nov. 5 (Consolations) -- l. Laura Claus (San Diego), 6-1, 6-4
Sunday, Nov. 6 (Consolations) -- d. Leighann Sahagun (Arizona State), 3-0 (ret.)
Doubles
Michelle Sulahian/Mimi Nguyen
Friday, Nov. 4 -- l. No. 13 Annie Goransson/Anett Schutting (California), 8-4
Saturday, Nov. 5 -- d. Anastasia Putilina/Callie Craig (Utah), 8-5
Sunday, Nov. 6 -- d. Zsofi Susanyi/Alice Duranteau (California), 8-2
Kristen Dodge/Sarah Lee
Friday, Nov. 4 -- l. Marianna Jodoin/Melissa McQueen (Fresno State), 8-6
Saturday, Nov. 5 -- d. Anna Depenau/Maja Sujica (San Diego), 8-4
Sunday, Nov. 6 -- d. Tayler Davis/Cecilia Estlander (California), 8-3
Q U O T E S
Michigan Head Coach Ronni Bernstein
On the Wolverines' final fall tournament ... "It was good. Everyone got a lot of quality matches. Unfortunately, Mimi was a little under the weather, so we couldn't get her into singles. But we take a lot from this weekend. It was our last event. I feel really good about where Sarah (Lee) and Kristy (Dodge) are; they played really good matches today. Kristy is starting to do some things that we're working on with her transition, and Sarah, from the start of the match to the end, played really solid all the way through. We're excited about where our freshmen are. It was good to get Brooke back out there after she couldn't play the regional. Michelle had some good matches as well. I like where we are as a team, and I'm happy with what the fall brought for us in terms of the events we picked and quality of competition. Hopefully, we'll go back home, get into our eight hours, work on some stuff and be ready in January."
On the importance of the fall season ... "We always talk about trying to work hard and have good results during the fall season. I think that carries over to us being well prepared for January. We like seeing different teams and players. That gives us a good idea of where we stand with everybody. We got in a lot of quality matches against good opponents this weekend. It's nice to get out of your region a little bit and play some different people that maybe you don't know so well. That's what we accomplished this weekend and all fall."
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
