Women's Tennis Tops SVSU In Opener

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University women's tennis team opened its 2010-11 campaign in impressive fashion as the Bulldogs topped Saginaw Valley State by a 9-0 score on Friday (Sept. 3) at the FSU Racquet and Fitness Center in Big Rapids.

The Bulldogs, who are guided by fourth-year head coach Alex Palladino, quickly won all three doubles flights with the closest score coming by virtue of identical 8-2 triumphs at the numbers one and three positions in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) match.

FSU then swept the singles round with five of the six flights being decided in straight-sets.

Seniors Amy Ingle and Tiffany Rheynard teamed up for an 8-2 victory over SVSU's Andrea Calhoun and Stephanie Bagnell at the number one doubles spot.  Meanwhile, senior newcomer Alina Stanila paired up with Melissa Flowers to record a 8-0 win at two doubles with the tandem of junior Natalie Diorio and sophomore Tabitha Simpson taking the third flight by an 8-2 count.

In singles play, Stanila recorded a 6-3, 7-6 decision over Calhoun at the top flight in the lineup.  Ingle moved down to the second position to shut out Bagnell 6-0, 6-0 with Rheynard beating Cortney Heileman 6-1, 6-2 and the number three flight.

The Bulldogs also took all three bottom flights as Flowers was a 6-2, 6-2 winner at the fourth spot, Simpson beat Charlotte Wong in three sets and Diorio handling Katie Piorkowski 6-0, 6-1 in six singles.

The match was the first of five home encounters for the Bulldogs during the fall conference schedule.

FSU will next travel to Findlay for its initial conference road match of the season on Friday, Sept. 10, with first serve set for 3 p.m. (ET) in Findlay, Ohio.  The Bulldogs also visit Tiffin on Saturday, Sept. 11, for a 2 p.m. (ET) league encounter before facing Wayne State on Sunday, Sept. 12, at 11 a.m. (ET) in Detroit.