Perova Sends Panthers to the Championship
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Senior standout
Mayya Perova won in straight sets, sending the Milwaukee tennis team to the Horizon League Championships with a 4-1 upset victory over No. 1 Cleveland State Saturday afternoon from the Varsity Tennis Center hosted by the University of Michigan.
Up an early point due to a forfeit at the No. 3 doubles position from the Vikings, Milwaukee quickly clinched the doubles point when
Avery Durham and Perova defeated CSU's No. 2 Oihane Vicario and Tereze Vevere, 6-2. After about a set into each singles match, play was suspended due to the rain, and the dual resumed on Michigan's indoor courts.
"Today was all about keeping our composure and focusing on the things we could control," said head coach
Jason Potthoff. "We had different matchups than we expected on both doubles courts and three singles courts, but we did a good job of adjusting some gameplans while still emphasizing what we know is best for us. Getting the doubles point helped us to breathe a little bit easier, but against a team as good as Cleveland State we knew that we still had a lot of work to do."
With forfeits also coming from the No. 5 and No. 6 singles lines from the Vikings, the Black & Gold needed to win just one match, up 3-0, to move onto the 2022 Horizon League Tennis Championships.
Sophomore
Greta Carbone had rallied back after being down a set, winning the second set 6-2, and was at 1-1 in the third before the match was clinched. Senior
Nikki Milner also earned a second set victory (6-4) and forced a third set.
"When the rain came and we knew there was a good chance we were moving indoors we had a quick chat about keeping ourselves focused on our own courts and just committing ourselves to being disciplined," Potthoff added. "Greta and Nikki winning their second sets was huge for us because it allowed Mayya to just settle in and methodically work her way through her final set without having to rush or feel any added stress. Mayya has been so clutch for us all year so it was fitting for her to be the one to get us our fourth point today."
Perova posted near identical results to yesterday's quarterfinal match, and has dropped just 10 games in her last two duals. The Moscow native won 6-3 in the first set, and handily in the second by a score of 6-2, breaking CSU's Selma Tounsi and clinch the match.
"Like I said yesterday, everyone wants this ride to keep going and we are grateful to be able to go out there and fight again tomorrow."
No. 2 Youngstown State defeated No. 3 UIC, 4-2 in the other semifinal match, so Milwaukee will take on YSU on for the Horizon League championship title. The Panthers and 'Guins are set for a 2 p.m. (CT) first serve from the Varsity Tennis Center.
