From Case Western Reserve University Athletics
The only senior on the No. 23 Case Western Reserve women's tennis team, Marianne Bonanno (Clayton, OH/Northmont), helped the Spartans to a key 8-1 in over No. 22 Hope College on Senior Day at the Cleveland Skating Club.
Bonanno teamed with junior Michelle Djohan (Westlake, OH/Westlake) for a tough 8-6 win at No. 2 doubles that gave the Spartans a 3-0 lead entering singles play, breaking a streak of three consecutive matches where they fell behind 2-1 after doubles.
Freshman Nithya Kanagasegar (Crossville, TN/Cumberland County) and junior Sara Zargham (Torrance, CA/California Academy of Math and Science) teamed up for an 8-4 win at No. 1 doubles, while sophomore Sarah Berchuck (Dallas, TX/Baylor School & Suffield Academy) and junior Surya Khadilkar (Broadview Heights, OH/Hawken School) recorded an 8-4 victory at No. 3 doubles.
"We played great doubles and took that momentum into singles," said head coach Kirsten Gambrell. "The top of the singles lineup got off to a great start and we outcompeted our opponents today. Now we're really looking forward to the Midwest Invite next weekend."
Bonanno, ranked 16th in the Central Region, dropped only one total game in defeating the region's 14th-ranked player.
Kanagasegar, ranked fourth in the Central Region, defeated the region's seventh-ranked player, 6-3, 6-1 at No. 1 singles.
Djohan continued her winning ways at No. 3 singles with a straight-set win and Zargham posted identical 6-3 wins in both sets to take No. 4 singles.
Khadilkar accopunted for the final CWRU point with a three-set win at No. 6 singles, taking the 10-set tiebreaker by a 13-11 score.
The Spartans broke a three-match losing streak to move to 8-4, while handing Hope only its second loss in 11 matches this season.