April 27, 2001

HUNTINGTON, W. Va. - Miami University posted a 4-0 decision over the Bowling Green State University women's tennis team Friday afternoon (April 27). The match, which came in the quarterfinal round of the Mid-American Conference Championships, was held at the Huntington High Tennis Courts.

The RedHawks, seeded third in the 10-team tournament, captured the doubles point from the sixth-seeded Falcons, then won three singles matches to clinch the win. BGSU ends the season with an overall record of 8-14.

The Falcon duo of senior Abby Bratton and junior Devon Bissinger posted an 8-3 decision over MU's Ivona Grujic and Janet Baker at the top doubles flight. But, the RedHawks captured each of the other two flights to win the doubles point.

In singles action, MU's Kadija Richards topped Bratton at the second flight, while Baker beat senior Erika Wasilewski at the third level. Catherine Dilley downed Bissinger at the fourth flight.

A pair of Falcons, seniors Meghan Rhodes and Tracy Howitt, led their singles matches when the contest was halted. In the top singles flight, Rhodes downed Grujic by a 6-1 count in the first set, and Grujic held a slim 5-4 advantage in the second set.

Howitt had won a 7-6 first set over Erica Echko at the sixth flight.

"Miami played with a lot of heart today and fought for every point," said BGSU head coach Penny Dean. "They earned the win.

"I'm proud of our effort, though. We fought hard in every match."

Bratton's win in doubles gives her a total of 149 combined career wins. She, Rhodes and Wasilewski all end their BGSU careers with that win total, to tie for second behind the school's career leader, Deidee Bissinger (153 from 1997-2000).

The match marked the final action for four Falcon seniors. Bratton, Howitt, Rhodes and Wasilewski all played their last match in the Brown and Orange.

Miami 4, Bowling Green 0 (April 27)

Huntington High Tennis Courts - Huntington, W.Va.

MAC Championships - Quarterfinal Round

Singles

1 - Meghan Rhodes (BGSU) led Ivona Grujic 6-1, 4-5 DNF
2 - Kadija Richards (MU) def. Abby Bratton 6-3, 6-2
3 - Janet Baker (MU) def. Erika Wasilewski 6-3, 6-3
4 - Catherine Dilley (MU) def. Devon Bissinger 6-3, 6-2
5 - Ilse Meyer (MU) led Lisa Maloney 6-2, 4-2 DNF
6 - Tracy Howitt (BGSU) led Erica Echko 7-6 DNF

1 - Bissinger/Bratton (BGSU) def. Grujic/Baker 8-3
2 - Richards/Meyer (MU) def. Wasilewski/Maloney 8-6
3 - Dilley/Echko (MU) def. Howitt/Rhodes 8-2

DNF - match did not finish