Focused.
That was the word coach Penny Dean used to describe the BG tennis team’s performance over the past weekend.
After cruising to back-to-back 7-0 shutouts of Youngstown State University and Wright State University, the Falcons don’t need to get an eye exam anytime soon – they are seeing 20/20, or wins in this case.
“We’re coming out so ready to play and just kind of taking it to the opponents,” Dean said.
“We’re not giving them [opponents] a chance from the start of the match.”
BG – 3-0 in dual-match play-took two of three doubles matches and all six singles matches against Youngstown State Saturday afternoon at Shadow Valley Tennis Club in Toledo.
The duo of Christine Chiricosta and Kelsey Jakupcin defeated Volkova/Thayer, 8-4, in top-flight action, while the tandem of Katia Babina and Sam Kintzel defeated Lanc/Patten, 8-3, to help win the doubles point for the Falcons.
In singles play, Jakupcin defeated Volkova – whom she had lost to earlier in the season at the BGSU Invitational – 6-2, 6-0, in top-flight action. Chiricosta didn’t lose a single game in her second flight match against the Penguins’ Welch.
The rest of the Falcons – Kintzel, Babina, Jenna Nussbaum and Stefanie Menoff – defeated their opponents in straight sets.
The only loss of the day for the Falcons was an 8-2 doubles loss by the duo of senior co-captains Nussbaum and Andrea Volle.
It was more of the same for BG against Wright State on Sunday at Shadow Valley.
The Falcons won all three doubles matches and all six singles matches against the Raiders.
The BG duo of Chiricosta/Jakupcin continued to impress by beating Lee/Webb, 8-1, in the top flight. The tandems of Nussbaum/Volle and Babina/Menoff contributed to the sweep of the Raiders after winning 8-5 and 8-0, respectively.
Wright State proved to be no match for the Falcons winning no more than two games in any set.
Jakupcin got her third straight victory in top-flight action after beating Lee, 6-2, 6-1.
“She’s taken over that No. 1 spot and playing lights-out from the start of the match,” coach Dean said.
Chiricosta and Kintzel each had 6-0, 6-1 victories in the second and third flights, respectively. Rounding out the Falcons’ singles wins were Nussbaum, Volle and Libby Harrison.
The Falcons have some time to relax and enjoy their early season success as they are off until Feb. 9, when they play UIC at Shadow Valley.