University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
DePaul
Gophers Battle at Courtside Classic
2/6/2016 12:00:00 AM | Tennis
In a battle of a match the University of Minnesota fell 4-3 to the DePaul University Blue Demons with the Gophers three seniors pulling out singles victories.
Minnesota dropped their first doubles point of the season as DePaul picked up three 6-4 victories.
DePaul's Yuliya Shupenia and Rebeca Mitrea were up 5-1 at the No. 1 spot before Annemarie Emme and Paula Rincon-Otero charged back to make it 5-4. Shupenia and Mitrea took the next game to win the match 6-4 in the afternoon's first completed match. The loss was the first of the year for Rincon-Otero and Emme. The duo drops to 5-1 on the season.
Julia Courter and Jessika Mozia found themselves locked in a battle with Patricia Lancranjan and Marina Cozac but fell just short losing 6-4 to drop the doubles point. Caitlyn Merzbacher and Mehvish Safdar fell 6-4 to Jaret Fisher and Zaina Sufi just seconds later.
Down 1-0 Minnesota dug in and battled back leaving it up the afternoon's final match to decide the winner.
"I was really proud of how we got back in. Our seniors came out and got us our three points," head coach Chuck Merzbacher said. "You want to close the door on it if you can when you are home but it was a good college match. They are a good team and have been through the wars of the NCAA's (tournament).
Rincon-Otero tied the match up at 1-1 getting a fast (6-1,6-1) victory over Lancranjan at the No. 3 spot moving her record to 9-3 on the season. DePaul regained the lead with as Mitrea topped Emme (6-2, 6-1) at the No. 4 spot.
Courter looked strong on the afternoon and again tied the match letting out a shout and a big fist pump as she locked in a (6-2, 6-4) win at the No. 2 spot over Cozac.
Mozia came out quick with a 6-2 win in the first set at the No. 5 spot over Sufi but lost the second set 6-0. She regained her composure to win 6-3 in the third set putting Minnesota one victory away from moving onto the championship.
At the No. 6 spot Safdar gutted out a tough fought match but dropped the first set in a tiebreak, 7-6 (4). DePaul's Fisher held on to win 6-3 in the second set tying the match at 3-3.
It all came down to the No. 1 spot with Minnesota's Caroline Ryba taking on Shupenia. Merzbacher said he was proud of Ryba for the way she battled after missing last week due to a wrist injury.
In the first set Shupenia went up 5-0 early but Ryba took the next seven games to win the first set. A back and forth second set saw Shupenia pull out a 6-4 win and she carried that momentum into the third set winning 6-2 sending DePaul to the Courtside Classic Championship match.
"It was a tough match for me because Coach Merz is one of my best friends in the world. Every time they play I root for them," Depaul head coach Mark Ardizzone said. "Today I obviously wanted us to win but I still always want his team to do good. I want his daughter to win. I am glad for the win but from now on every match the rest of the year I want the Gophers to win."
The Courtside Classic championship match will take place at 9 a.m. with Mississippi State taking on DePaul. Mississippi State took a 6-1 victory over New Mexico on the day's first match.
"Proud of my girls. We started off on fire in doubles," Bulldogs head coach Daryl Greenan said. "We did a great job setting the tone there and carried the momentum into the singles. We beat a good team today and it was a solid performance. Playing the winner of this next match (DePaul) will be a tough challenge."
"To be in the championship match is great. They (Mississippi State) are a good team so we will have to go for it," Ardizzone said. "We have to play to win tomorrow. It will be a great experience. This is such a first class tournament and we are happy to be involved in it."
The consolation match will take place at noon with the Gophers taking on New Mexico.
"Chuck, Whitney and everybody at the Courtside Booster Club have done such a good job and the Courtside Classic has been a great experience for us so far," Lobos head coach Kelcy McKenna said. "We are looking forward to who we play tomorrow."
"We have another tough match tomorrow so we have to find a way to put together our best lineup," Merzbacher said.
#41 DePaul 4, #60 Minnesota 3
Singles competition
1. Yuliya Shupenia (DEP) def. Caroline Ryba (MINN) 5-7, 6-4, 6-2
2. Julia Courter (MINN) def. Marina Cozac (DEP) 6-2, 6-4
3. Paula Rincon-Otero (MINN) def. Patricia Lancranjan (DEP) 6-1, 6-1
4. Rebeca Mitrea (DEP) def. Annemarie Emme (MINN) 6-2, 6-1
5. Jessika Mozia (MINN) def. Zaina Sufi (DEP) 6-2, 0-6, 6-3
6. Jaret Fisher (DEP) def. Mehvish Safdar (MINN) 7-6 (7-4), 6-3
Doubles competition
1. Yuliya Shupenia/Rebeca Mitrea (DEP) def. Paula Rincon-Otero/Annemarie Emme (MINN) 6-4
2. Patricia Lancranjan/Marina Cozac (DEP) def. Julia Courter/Jessika Mozia (MINN) 6-4
3. Jaret Fisher/Zaina Sufi (DEP) def. Mehvish Safdar/Caitlyn Merzbacher (MINN) 6-4
Order of Finish: Doubles (1,2,3) Singles (3,4,2,5,6,1)
Players Mentioned
