Freshmen Allie Faulkner and Nina Chavez led the Miami University RedHawks tennis team (6-11, 3-3 MAC) to a 4-3 home win on April 3 against conference rival the Northern Illinois University Huskies.
Faulkner delivered a key moment for the RedHawks, coming back from a 5-2 deficit in the second set of singles to defeat Husky sophomore Theodora Kousiou 6-4, 7-5.
“I just tried to hold my serve and go point by point because anything can happen,” Faulkner said. “Tennis is all about momentum.”
Miami secured the doubles point for the first time this season, giving the RedHawks an early advantage heading into singles play. That early point proved to be critical in a contest decided by narrow margins, as Miami avoided needing four singles wins to claim the match.
With the match tied 2-2 and three courts still in play, the outcome came down to the wire. Chavez clinched the team win, fighting back in her match against senior Jenna Horne 7-5, 7-5, to earn the decisive point for the RedHawks.
Head coach Ricardo Rosas points to the team’s improvement in close matches that made the difference.
“They’ve experienced these close matches and now they are able to execute,” Rosas said.
Miami’s young team, which features four freshmen, two sophomores and one junior, has been inconsistent throughout the year, but is showing signs of growth in pressure-packed situations. The RedHawks relied on contributions from across the lineup to secure the win and move into fifth place in the MAC.
The match showed Miami staying calm in big moments, something the team has been working on throughout the season. After losing close matches earlier, the RedHawks played with more confidence down the line, according to Rosas.
The RedHawks have four matches remaining before the MAC tournament begins April 25 in Oxford. Miami returns to the home court on April 10 against the University of Dayton Flyers (5-12).
This story was produced by a Miami journalism student in partnership with The Miami Student newspaper.
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