April 9, 2011

Box Score

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. - Seniors Jackie Dinicu and Amanda Pettey won at both singles and doubles to lead the Oakland women's tennis team (6-10) to a 7-0 win over Valparaiso (0-14) as the team celebrated Senior Day on Saturday at Bloomfield Tennis & Fitness. The six wins this season ties for the third most in Oakland's 12-year Division I history.

"It was a great way for our seniors to finish the regular season," said Oakland head coach Heather Redshaw. "We are hopeful to still qualify for The Summit League Tournament, but if we don't this was still a great season and it's great to see our two seniors finish things off this way."

The Golden Grizzlies won all three doubles matches and all six singles contests for a clean sweep of the Crusaders. In the end it was Dinicu that clinched the win for OU, by beating Brittany O'Reilly 6-0, 6-2 at No. 2 singles. After Oakland claimed the doubles point, freshman Grace Keating made it a 2-0 lead with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Aubree Zdanovec at No. 4 singles. Junior Caitlin Young then made it 3-0 with her 6-0, 6-1 win at No. 1 singles.

Oakland took an early lead by sweeping the doubles matches. Pettey and Keating won 8-0 at No. 3 singles to finish undefeated in home doubles action this season. Dinicu and Young clinched the doubles point for OU with an 8-3 win at No. 1 singles. Juniors Karen Karoub and Demi Georgakopoulos had to battle from a break down before eventually winning their No. 2 doubles match 8-6.

Karoub won 6-3, 6-3 at No. 3 singles and finishes the season 7-6 when playing in that spot in the order. Georgakopoulos won her match at No. 5 singles 6-1, 6-3 over Valpo's Kristin Zakiewicz.

Fittingly, it was the other senior Pettey who was the last off the court. With her teammates huddled on the next court over, Pettey finished her final points to win 7-5, 6-1 over Stephanie York at No. 6 singles.

The Golden Grizzlies are currently fourth in The Summit League standings, but will have to wait for other teams to finish league play before learning if they will qualify for the league tournament for the first time since the field reduced from nine to four teams.

-OAKLAND-