East Lansing, Mich.--Due to sub-standard temperatures, the first two matches of the 2005 Big Ten Women's Tennis Championship were moved indoors to the MSU Indoor Tennis Facility. Due to the change in venue, the order in which singles matches are to be played will be determined by a draw following the regular conclusion of the three doubles matches. The two singles matches not initially selected will begin play, when needed, as courts become available.
In the eight versus nine match-up, Penn State looked to be in control of the double's point holding the lead on all three courts. At first doubles, the Lion team Maaria Husain and Jenny Schular won 8-5, but after being down 7-6 in the set, and love-40 in the game, Ohio State's second doubles team of Sonia Ruzimovsky and Kristin Messmer came back to win the last three games and take the match 9-7. At third doubles, the Buckeye team of Caitlin O'Keefe and Lindsay Bryan came back to even the score at sixes, and after four evenly contested matches Ohio State defeated the Penn State duo of Andreea Niculescu and Katelyn BeVard, 9-7. With the two victories, the Buckeyes earned the doubles point to take a 1-0 advantage into singles competition.
The first, second, fifth, and sixth singles matches were drawn to occupy the four courts first. The first singles match to be decided was between Penn State's Sasha Abraham and Ohio State's Sonia Ruzimovsky at the second position. With normal Scarlet and Gray second singles competitor, Lindsey Adams, out of competition, Abraham blitzed Ruzimovsky, 6-2, 6-0. Penn State took a 2-1 lead after Jenny Schular defeated Kristin Messmer at fifth singles, 6-4, 6-1. In the day's first three-set match, Penn State's Maaria Husain defeated Emily DeCamilla at first singles 3-6, 6-0, 6-2. Penn State wrapped it up when at fourth singles, Andreea Niculescu of Penn State defeated Meredith Vincent, 6-4, 6-1, to earn the victory for the Nittany Lions. The other two on-going matches were abandoned.
Penn State will face top-seeded Northwestern in the quarterfinals on Friday at 10:00am. All match times are subject to change based on weather. Log onto BigTen.org throughout the 2005 Women's Tennis Championship for up-to-date scores, updates, and results.
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