Dayton Flyers

The University of Dayton women’s tennis team opened the spring season with several strong efforts at the Ohio State Varsity Open this weekend.  The doubles team of sophomore Julie Kirkland and freshman Claire Dryer placed second in the Main Draw Doubles.  In addition, Dreyer reached the semifinals of the Main Draw Singles.

Kirkland and Dreyer beat Cincinnati’s Abby Mayo and Caitlin O’Gara 8-2 and Ohio State’s Tiffany Dittmer and Alex Power 8-4 to reach the finals.  OSU’s top duo of Fidan Manashirova and Kelsey Becker edged Kirkland and Dreyer 8-6 to take the championship.

Dayton’s other doubles duo of senior Laina Grote and Loni Dickerhoof knocked off UC’s Carly Wilson and Elise Woulfe 8-2 to reach the semis, where they fell 8-6 to Manashirova and Becker. 

In singles, Dreyer downed Kirkland 6-0, ret. and Power 6-1, 6-4 to reach the semifinals.  The final four players were re-seeded, and Dreyer lost to eventual champion Manashirova 6-3, 6-3.  Dreyer’s six games won against Manashirova were twice as many as she dropped in the rest of the tournament combined.

All five Dayton players won their first matches in singles.  Kirkland beat Mayo 6-0, 6-0, Grote defeated UC’s Lindsey Lonergan 6-2, 7-5 and Dickerhoof outfought Woulfe 7-5, 0-6, 10-6.  Freshman Maureen Stevens took advantage of her homecoming (she graduated from Columbus Bishop Watterson High School) with a 1-6, 6-1, 10-4 win over Dittmer, one of the top yoiung players in Germany.  Freshman Claire McNulty beat Wilson 6-1, 6-0.

UD is back in action on Sunday, Jan. 23, when the Flyers travel to Oxford, Ohio for a dual match with Miami.