OAKLAND ADVANCES TO SEMIFINALS WITH HISTORIC WIN OVER DETROIT MERCY

The Golden Grizzlies completed the comeback for its first-ever league tournament win

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Sofia Borcuti bounced back after a 6-1 loss in her first singles set to win 7-6 and 6-3 in the second and third sets as the Oakland tennis team won its first league tournament match in program history against rival Detroit Mercy in a thrilling 4-3 come-from-behind fashion Friday at the Horizon League Championship held at the Schwartz Tennis Center.

Borcuti was also on the winning doubles team with Dasha Artamonova.

After falling to the Titans in doubles, Oakland found itself down early 3-1 in singles play, with Amanda Nilsson recording the lone point for the Black and Gold. Borcuti's comeback was reflective of the team's performance, as she cut the Titans' lead to 3-2.

Horizon League Player of the Year Ava Thielman won her match 6-4, 3-6 and 6-4 to tie the match at 3-3. She earns her 17th singles win, the most in Oakland's Division I era and most since the 1999-00 season.

It all came down to Alexandra Whall in her third set as she was able to put away her opponent 6-3 to give Oakland (14-8, 7-2 HL) its first league tournament win in its Division I history.

The Golden Grizzlies also earned two more points in the Metro Series with the Titans (10-12, 3-6 HL).

Oakland will advance to the semifinal round against No. 2 seed Cleveland State tomorrow at 6 p.m.

Oakland 4, Detroit Mercy 3
Singles competition
1. THIELMAN, Ava (OAK) def. Jasmine Apawti (UDM-W) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4
2. Iris Thioux (UDM-W) def. MALTSEVA, Darya (OAK) 6-2, 6-1
3. Chelsea Apawti (UDM-W) def. ARTAMONOVA, Dasha (OAK) 6-2, 6-3
4. WHALL, Alexandra (OAK) def. Ksenia Providokhina (UDM-W) 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 6-3
5. BORCUTI, Sofia (OAK) def. Pauline Van Herck (UDM-W) 1-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3
6. NILSSON, Amanda (OAK) def. Sara Mitrakovic (UDM-W) 6-2, 6-3

Doubles competition
1. Chelsea Apawti/Jasmine Apawti (UDM-W) def. THIELMAN, Ava/MALTSEVA, Darya (OAK) 6-2
2. Iris Thioux/Sophie Torcello (UDM-W) def. WHALL, Alexandra/NILSSON, Amanda (OAK) 6-3
3. ARTAMONOVA, Dasha/BORCUTI, Sofia (OAK) def. Sara Mitrakovic/Ksenia Providokhina (UDM-W) 6-2

Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (6,3,2,5,1,4)
Horizon League Championship Quarterfinal No. 1

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