Jan. 18, 2012

Box Score

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Brittany Baxter and Caryn Kimmel battled in a close match at No. 3 doubles, but the Oakland women's tennis team (0-2) lost, 7-0, to Michigan State (1-0) on Wednesday at the MSU Indoor Tennis Courts. For the second consecutive match, the Golden Grizzlies took a game in all three doubles matches and in five of the six singles contests.

"For it to be our first match against a Big Ten opponent I think we showed that we could hit with them," said Oakland head coach Heather Redshaw. "Our doubles played well again, but our singles play needs improvement."

MSU won the doubles point by winning 8-3 at both No. 1 and No. 2 doubles. However, Baxter and Kimmel battled to the end in an eventual 8-5 loss at No. 3 doubles.

For the second straight match Caitlin Young gave a strong performance at No. 1 singles, eventually falling 6-3, 6-2 to Nicole Herzog. At No. 5 singles Baxter hung in for a 6-1, 6-0 defeat to Julianne Gruber. Grace Keating rallied in her second set, falling 6-0, 6-3 to Michaela Silesova.

At No. 6 singles, Kimmel fell 6-1, 6-1 to Hager and Karen Karoub lost by the same score to Olga Chemova at No. 2 singles. Demi Georgakopoulos lost 6-0, 6-0 to Katarina Lingl at No. 4 singles.

It was the first-ever meeting between Oakland and Michigan State.

After playing a pair of road matches to start the season, the Golden Grizzlies will return home for their next match. Oakland hosts Akron on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. at the Bloomfield Tennis Club. Admission to the match is free.

Michigan State def. Oakland - 7-0
Doubles
1. Nicole Herzog/Katarina Lingl def. Grace Keating/Caitlin Young - 8-3
2. Michaela Silesova/Julianne Gruber def. Karen Karoub/Demi Georgakopoulos - 8-3
3. Dana Guentert/Jennifer Yen def. Brittany Baxter/Caryn Kimmel - 8-5

Singles
1. Herzog def. Young - 6-3, 6-2
2. Olga Chernova def. Karoub - 6-1, 6-1
3. Silesova def Keating - 6-0, 6-3
4. Lingl def Georgakopoulos - 6-0, 6-0
5. Gruber def.Baxter - 6-1, 6-0
6. Hilary Hager def. Kimmel - 6-1, 6-1

-OAKLAND-