Big Singles Day Leads to IU Win at MSU

Sunday, March 27

East Lansing, Mich.

12 pm

Indiana University

Michigan State

3/27/2016 3:46:00 PM | Women's Tennis

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 27, 2016
Indiana Women's Tennis
Media Relations Contact: Ryan Sheets (rmsheets@indiana.edu)

Big Singles Day Leads to IU Win at Michigan State

EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Indiana women's tennis team bounced back after dropping the doubles point to top Michigan State on the road on Sunday afternoon, 4-3.

IU (13-5, 3-1) won at No. 2 doubles as Kim Schmider and Stephanie Smith cruised to a 6-1 win to start things. MSU (9-6, 1-2) answered with a win at No. 3 before Indiana's Sarah McLean and Natalie Whalen were forced to retire the No. 1 match to give the Spartans the point.

Michigan State went ahead 2-0 as Emily Meyers downed IU's Schmider at the No. 6 position, 6-2, 6-3. Sarah McLean then put the Hoosiers on the board as she won in straight sets over MSU's Lexi Balis in the No. 3 match, 6-3, 6-2.

Smith evened the match as she topped Emily Metcalf in the No. 4 spot, 6-4, 6-3. IU then jumped in front with a victory at No. 2 as Paula Gutierrez tallied a 6-4, 7-5 triumph over Davina Nguyen.

MSU did not go quietly as Erin Faulkner won in the No. 1 position over Indiana's Madison Appel, 7-6, 7-5.

All eyes turned to match No. 5 as Indiana's Danielle Wolf was pitted against MSU's Athena Trouillot in a 3-3 match. Trouillot cruised in the opening set not giving up a game, but Wolf held strong, eventually outlasting Trouilot in a third-set tiebreak to win by a final score of 0-6, 6-4, 7-6.

Twice this season, Wolf has won the deciding singles match in a three-set match (Tennessee).

"This team showed a huge heart today," head coach Lin Loring said. "We could of used the injury to Natalie (Whalen) as an excuse to lose. But instead we found a way to win. Under the circumstances, this was a tremendous road win for our program. We were dominating the doubles when Natalie tweaked her back and we had to default her which cost us the doubles point. Then we had pull her from singles and sled everyone up. Danielle showed real determination, losing the first set and coming back to win the deciding match 7-6 in the third."

The Hoosiers win their third Big Ten match in four tries so far this year. IU will return home next weekend to battle Purdue on Saturday, April 2 at 11 a.m. ET in Bloomington.

Results
No. 63 Indiana 4, Michigan State 3

Singles
1. Erin Faulkner (MSU) def. Madison Appel (IU) 7-6, 7-5
2. Paula Gutierrez (IU) def. Davina Nguyen (MSU) 6-4, 7-5
3. Sarah McLean (IU) def. Lexi Baylis (MSU) 6-3, 6-2
4. Stephanie Smith (IU) def. Emily Metcalf (MSU) 6-4, 6-3
5. Danielle Wolf (IU) def. Athena Trouillot (MSU) 0-6, 6-4, 7-6
6. Emily Meyers (MSU) def. Kim Schmider (IU) 6-2, 6-3

Doubles
1. Allie Baer/Erin Faulkner (MSU) def. Sarah McLean/Natalie Whalen (IU) 6-5, retired
2. Kim Schmider/Stephanie Smith (IU) def. Emily Meyers/Emily Metcalf (MSU) 6-1
3. Davina Nguyen/Athena Trouillot (MSU) def. Madison Appel/Danielle Wolf (IU) 6-4

Order of Completion: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (6,3,4,2,1,5)