Detroit's Orantes and UIC's Altansarnai Tab Player of the Week Honors
INDIANAPOLIS -- Detroit junior Rafael Orantes (San Salvador, El Salvador) is the Men’s Tennis Player of the Week while UIC junior Jackie Altansarnai (Hinsdale, Ill.) is the Women’s Tennis Player of the Week for the week of March 10-16.
The Detroit men’s tennis team faced No. 36 Notre Dame this past Sunday in South Bend, Ind. The Titans fell to the Fighting Irish 6-1, despite close singles matches throughout the line-up.
Orantes collected the sole two Titans’ wins against nationally-ranked Notre Dame at No. 3 singles and No. 3 doubles play with teammate Chance Conley. The junior went up against Notre Dame’s Michael Fredericka in his singles match and was defeated the first set 4-6. Orantes captured the second-set victory 6-4 and carried momentum into the third-set to collect a come-from-behind win in the tiebreaker 1-0 (6). In doubles action, the duo faced the Fighting Irish’s Drew Dawson and Brendon Kempin and tabbed a 6-4 victory for Detroit.
The UIC women’s tennis team hosted Bowling Green on Sunday in Chicago, Ill. The Flames swept the Falcons in a 7-0 victory after impressive performances throughout the line-up in singles and doubles competition.
Altansarnai collected a team-best fifth singles win during dual matches at No. 2 singles for UIC. The junior won in straight-sets over Bowling Green’s Harley Hutchison 6-2, 6-2 to mark her second-consecutive straight-set victory. Altansarnai combined with teammate Ann-Sophie Hahn at No. 2 doubles to win their second doubles match and first at the No. 2 spot with a 6-0 sweep.
UIC hits the road to begin conference play against Valparaiso on Thursday, March 19 for a 1:00 p.m. ET contest before taking on Illinois State on Saturday, March 21 at 2:00 p.m. ET. Detroit hosts Michigan State on Sunday, March 22 for a Noon ET dual match against the Spartans.
Top Men’s Tennis Players of the Week:
Remi Chancerel, Youngstown State (Fr.): Picked up wins against SIU-Edwardsville and Gonzaga at No. 1 singles and also at No. 2 doubles versus Gonzaga.
Lauri Makikalli, Wright State (Sr.): Won at No. 4 singles and No. 2 doubles against Duquesne in addition to singles and doubles wins over SFPA.
Jeffrey Schorsch, Valparaiso (So.): Went 2-0 in singles against opponents from Miami (FL) and Lehigh at No. 2. Also won at No. 1 doubles with teammate Charlie Emhardt against those squads.
Ali Shabib, Cleveland State (Sr.): Won at No. 4 singles and No. 1 doubles against BYU Hawaii on the team’s Spring Break Trip.
Top Women’s Tennis Players of the Week:
Karoline Haller, Wright State (Fr.): Won at No. 4 singles against Duquesne in addition to capturing wins at No. 4 singles and No. 1 doubles versus St. Francis (PA).
Men’s Tennis Players of the Week
Sept. 9: Remi Chancerel, Youngstown State
Sept. 16: Charlie Emhardt, Valparaiso
Sept. 23: Michael Tenzer, Green Bay
Oct. 7: Michael Savaglio, Valparaiso
Oct. 14: Michael Tenzer, Green Bay
Jan. 13: Joe VanMeter, Cleveland State
Jan. 20: Garrett Gardner, Valparaiso
Jan. 27: Jeffrey Schorsch, Valparaiso
Feb. 3: Hugo Morth, Youngstown State
Feb. 10: Michael Tenzer, Green Bay
Feb. 17: Michael Tenzer, Green Bay
Feb. 24: Howard Scott, Green Bay
March 2: Leopold Gomez Islinger, Green Bay; Jeffrey Schorsch, Valparaiso
March 8: Rafael Orantes, Detroit
Women’s Tennis Players of the Week
Sept. 9: Chelsea Bailey, Milwaukee
Sept. 16: Paige Heuer, Valparaiso
Sept. 23: Lauren Golick, Cleveland State
Sept. 30: Alysa Straub, Milwaukee
Oct. 7: Victoria Bensimon, Cleveland State
Oct. 14: Dominika Lackova, Youngstown State
Jan. 13: Dominika Lackova, Youngstown State
Jan. 20: Irina Slizovskaya, Detroit
Jan. 27: Marta Burak, Youngstown State
Feb. 3: Victoria Bensimon, Cleveland State
Feb. 10: Kathleen Hebble, Valparaiso
Feb. 17 Keti Mebuke, UIC
Feb. 24: Irina Slizovskaya, Detroit
March 2: Anna Davydova, Detroit
March 8: Jackie Altansarnai, UIC
