Sophomore Sam Kintzel was the only Falcon to come home with a singles title this past weekend after the BGSU women’s tennis team traveled to Cincinnati to participate in the Queen City Invitational.

Kintzel won the fourth-flight singles title beating Vicky Pulido from Miami (Ohio), 6-0, 6-1.

To go along with her singles title, Kintzel teamed with freshman Christine Chiricosta to win the first-flight doubles consolation bracket.

Earlier this season, Kintzel received a third-flight singles back draw victory and a second-flight doubles title with Chiricosta at the BGSU Invitational held in September.

Kintzel has had tons of success in her short collegiate career. She had a total of 37 wins in her freshman year, including a 19-12 record in singles play and an 18-9 record in doubles play. Her 37 wins was the second highest total on the team.

Kintzel and doubles partner Kelsey Jakupcin had a 5-1 doubles record in Mid-American Conference regular season play last year, which was the highest mark by a doubles team in MAC regular season play since 2000-01. It was also the best winning percentage (.833) in league play since 1981-82. Kintzel won seven of her last eight doubles matches to close the MAC regular season.

“She has an outstanding tennis game,” said BG tennis coach Penny Dean. “She is definitely team-oriented and is very good at helping the other players with their strategy.”

At the age of five, Kintzel began playing tennis because her parents wanted her to play sports.

“My parents really wanted me to play sports since my dad was really into sports when he was younger,” she said. “My parents gave me an option and I just picked tennis. They signed me up for some tennis classes and I just stuck with it.”

The Libertyville, Ill. native was a four-year letter-winner and a three-time state qualifier in high school.

Kintzel had a good influence growing up.

“I really liked watching Steffi Graf,” she said.

When it comes to tennis, Kintzel is very superstitious.

“I always have to have my water bottle facing me and I always have to twirl my racket in-between points,” she said.

Kintzel enjoys competing and playing girls from different schools with different styles.

Kintzel, a tourism/event planning major, enjoys hanging out with friends, shopping and cooking when she isn’t playing tennis.

Kintzel hopes the team continues to do well throughout the rest of this season.

“I hope [our team] does really well and that a bunch of fans come out to watch us,” she said.

Kintzel will be heading to Muncie, Ind. Oct. 18-23 for the Ball State Fall Invitational.