Women's Tennis Dominates Cincinnati and Seton Hall

April 5, 2008

MILWAUKEE - The Marquette women's tennis team improved to 11-11 (6-1 BIG EAST) this weekend with convincing victories over conference foes Cincinnati, 6-1, and Seton Hall, 7-0.

"Our conference season is coming down to the wire," head coach Jody Bronson said. "With the BIG East tournament coming up it is important that we are hitting our peak at the right time."

Saturday morning, for Senior Day against Seton Hall, the Golden Eagles picked up right where they left off Friday night after beating Cincinnati.

All three doubles pairings won their matches giving Marquette a 1-0 lead heading into singles play. Maria Calbeto and Christina Ruiz defeated Denise Liebschner and Nadezhda Shein, 8-2, in No. 1 action while Maggie Wilson and Shannon Brown beat Liza Chu and Alexandra Harvey, 8-0, in the No. 3 spot.

Struggling early in the No. 1 singles spot, Lauren Little was able to overcome an early deficit in the first set to win in a tiebreaker and eventually win the match against Liebschner, 7-6, 6-2. Seniors Erin Watkins and Calbeto won from the No. 2 and 3 spots, respectively. Watkins defeated Shein, 6-0, 6-2, while Calbeto won her match-up with Amanda El-Tobgy, 6-1, 6-2.

Following the match on Saturday, Bronson, assistant coach Heather Nobler and Associate Athletic Director Danielle Josetti honored seniors Brown, Calbeto and Watkins.

"All three have made tremendous contributions to this program," Bronson said. "They all stepped up this season and provided great leadership. I would like thank them all for the opportunity to coach and get to know them."

Friday night the women squared off against Cincinnati at the Helfaer tennis stadium. The Golden Eagles captured the doubles point after two hard fought victories. Brown and Little defeated Alizee Paradis and Jenny Rown, 8-4, in No. 1 doubles action while the pairing of Calbeto and Ruiz defeated Jenn Kelher and Elizabeth Young, 8-5.

In singles play against Cincinnati, Calbeto dominated in the No. 2 spot, defeating Jenn Kelher, 6-0, 6-0. Marquette's lone lost point came as Watkins was unable to hold off Paradis at the No. 1 spot, 6-2, 6-4.

The Golden Eagles return to action Saturday, April 12 at 10 a.m. CT, looking for their fifth-straight win when they travel to Notre Dame to take on DePaul before playing the host Fighting Irish Sunday morning.

Marquette 7, Seton Hall 0 (Saturday, April 5, 2008)

Singles competition
1. Lauren Little (MARQ) def. Denise Liebschner (SHU) 7-6, 6-2
2. Erin Watkins (MARQ) def. Nadezhda Shein (SHU) 6-0, 6-2
3. Maria Calbeto (MARQ) def. Amanda El-Tobgy (SHU) 6-1, 6-2
4. Christina Ruiz (MARQ) def. Belfin Sunbul (SHU) 6-1, 6-1
5. Rachael Hush (MARQ) def. Slavina Kaplanska (SHU) 6-1, 6-1
6. Robin Metzler (MARQ) def. Nathalie Ranger (SHU) 6-0, 6-0

Doubles competition
1. Calbeto/Ruiz (MU) def. Liebschner/Shein (SHU) 8-2
2. Watkins/Hush (MU) def. El-Tobgy/Sunbul (SHU) 8-2
3. Shannon Brown/Maggie Wilson (MU) def. Liza Chu/Alexandra Harvey (SHU) 8-0

Marquette 6, Cincinnati 1 (Friday, April 4, 2008)

Singles competition
1. Alizee Paradis (UC) def. Erin Watkins (MARQ) 6-2, 6-4
2. Maria Calbeto (MARQ) def. Jenn Kelher (UC) 6-0, 6-0
3. Christina Ruiz (MARQ) def. Elizabeth Young (UC) 6-3, 6-2
4. Rachael Hush (MARQ) def. Jenny Rowen (UC) 6-1, 6-3
5. Robin Metzler (MARQ) def. Abigal Mayo (UC) 6-1, 6-1
6. Maggie Wilson (MARQ) def. --

Doubles competition
1. Brown/Little (MARQ) def. Paradis/Rowen (UC) 8-4
2. Calbeto/Ruiz (MARQ) def. Kelher/Young (UC) 8-5
3. Hush/Watkins (MARQ) won by default