Marquette University Athletics
Women' Tennis Tops Northern Illinois in Season Opener
1/19/2004 12:00:00āÆAM | Women's Tennis
Behind strong individual performance in the singles? matches, the Golden Eagles stormed back for a 4-3 victory in their season-opener against Northern Illinois. The match at the Helfaer Tennis Stadium saw Marquette?s veterans lead the rally, following a disappointing loss in the doubles point.
The day opened with the young no. 3 doubles team of Callan Smith and Dominika Dabrowski knocking off the Huskies? Kristi McIntyre & Megan Brooks, 8-0. It looked like the Golden Eagles were headed for a doubles? sweep, with the number-two team of Annabelle Espinosa and Francena Bonnelly leading 4-1 in their match, and the top-slot combination of Genevieve Charron and Veronica Garcia-Briseno up 3-love in their match. Northern Illinois would come back in both matches, winning both the no. 2 doubles and the top doubles 9-7 to steal the point from the Golden Eagles.
Marquette would regroup and come out strong in the singles. Annabelle Espinosa picked up her first point of the year, taking the Huskies? Dani Martinez out in straight sets (6-0, 6-0) at the no. 6 singles. No. 1-single Veronica Garcia Briseno followed in short order, also picking up her first win of the season in straight sets (6-2, 6-4) against NIU?s Branka Savic. A tough loss at no. 4 for freshman Dominika Dabrowski was picked up by her classmate Francena Bonnelly at no. five, who held on to beat Kristi McIntyre, 6-2, 6-3.
That left two matches on the courts. Freshman Callan Smith had already won a set, and fought back from a 5-love deficit in the second to make things interesting. Only down one break, she was unable to negate the Huskies? advantage, losing the second set 6-3.
As Smith?s second set wrapped up, action in the no. 2 match was heating up. Genevieve Charron had taken the first set in commanding fashion, beating Cassie Drake by a score of 6-3. With the pressure on, Drake charged back, taking the second set to 4-4, before Charron dispatched her, winning 6-4.
With the team win wrapped up for the Golden Eagles, Callan Smith fell in the final set, losing her point to Ivonne Andrade 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. Despite the singles? loss, Head Coach Jodi Bronson was encouraged by Smith?s performances in the match, "Callan was awesome in singles and doubles. She really showed us what she could do and we were really impressed by what she could do."
The Golden Eagles are back in action Friday, when they host Illinois-Chicago at 4 p.m. at the Helfaer Tennis Stadium.
Marquette 4, Northern Illinois 3
Doubles
No. 1 Branka Savic & Ivonne Andrade (NIU) def. Veronica Garcia Briseno & Genevieve Charron (MU), 9-7
No. 2 Cassie Drake & Karrie Tyioran (NIU) def. Anabelle Espinosa & Francena Bonnelly (MU), 9-7
No. 3 Dominika Dabrowski & Callan Smith (MU) def. Kristi McIntyre & Megan Brooks (NIU), 8-0
Singles
No. 1 Veronica Garcia Briseno (MU) def. Branka Savic (NIU), 6-2, 6-4
No. 2 Genevieve Charron (MU) def. Cassie Drake (NIU), 6-3, 6-4
No. 3 Ivonne Andrade (NIU) def. Callan Smith (MU), 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
No. 4 Karrie Tyioran (NIU) def. Dominika Dabrowski (MU), 6-3, 6-2
No. 5 Francena Bonnelly (MU) def. Kristi McIntyre (NIU), 6-2, 6-3
No. 6 Anabelle Espinosa (MU) def. Dani Martinez (NIU), 6-0, 6-0
