HAMILTON, Ont. – An entire season's worth of hard-fought Ontario University Athletics (OUA) tennis battles come down to two days and four teams all vying for the same championship banners. The top men's and women's tennis teams will converge on the University of Ontario Institute of Technology in Oshawa, Ont. starting with the men's semifinals on Saturday morning, followed by the women's semis at noon. The afternoon will see the second set of semifinals played, with the men squaring off at 3 p.m. and the women at 6 p.m.
On the men's side, the No. 1 ranked York Lions (4-1) face will take on the fourth-ranked Toronto Varsity Blues (3-3) on Saturday morning. Having gone undefeated in three straight games, York's win streak ended against Montreal in their fourth match-up of the season, and finished the regular season with a win against the Western Mustangs. Despite OUA tennis all-star Stefan Srnic's (Belgrade, Serbia) strong efforts, Toronto's regular-season performance has been less-than-stellar, settling for an even 3-3 record. One of those losses came courtesy of their playoff opponent, the York Lions. The Varsity Blues will have to overpower York's tennis all-stars Mikhail Lew (Caracas, Venezuela) and Tomohiro Ono (Toronto).
Also fighting for a spot in the finals on Saturday evening are the split Western Mustangs (3-3) and the No. 2 seeded Waterloo Warriors (5-1). The Mustangs have won four tennis titles since 2003, but failed to produce a championship-quality record this season. They will have their work cut out for them against the top-ranked Waterloo Warriors, who, after dropping their first match to the McMaster Marauders, are riding a five-game win streak into the playoffs.
Like the men's team, the Varsity Blues women (3-3) will see some playoff action on Saturday morning in the first women's semifinal game against the No. 1-ranked and undefeated Montreal Carabins (6-0). OUA all-star Daria Zakharchenko (Sochi, Russia) won three singles against Waterloo, Western and McMaster in the regular season, but will face a challenge against the Montreal Carabins, having not played them this season. Montreal is looking to win their second consecutive title, while Toronto is playing to reclaim the championship they've won four times since 2005.
The third-ranked York Lions (4-2) women (including all-star Stephanie Willerding of Toronto) will square off against the surging Western Mustangs (5-1), including their three OUA all-stars, Paige Robinson (London, Ont.), Emma Lecavalier (Mesa, Ariz.) and Chantal Forristal (Toronto). Western defeated the Lions 6-1 in their regular season match and lost their only game to the Montreal Carabins. York has shown they are a strong competitor, but it will take more than strength to defeat the Mustangs.
MEN'S DRAW
Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009
Semifinals
9 a.m. - No. 4 Toronto vs. No. 1 York
3 p.m. - No. 3 Western vs. No. 2 Waterloo
Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009
BRONZE MEDAL
9 a.m. – Semifinal losers
CHAMPIONSHIP
6 p.m. – Semifinal winners
WOMEN'S DRAW
Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009
Semifinals
12 p.m. - No. 4 Toronto vs. No. 1 Montreal
6 p.m. - No. 3 York vs. No. 2 Western
Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009
BRONZE MEDAL
12 p.m. – Semifinal losers
CHAMPIONSHIP
3 p.m. – Semifinal winners
– OUA –
ABOUT ONTARIO UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and its 19 member institutions are developing Champions For Life. Giving 9,000 student-athletes the opportunity to excel academically and on the playing field, while preparing for life after university. For more information, visit OUA.ca.
For additional information please contact:
Josh Bell-Webster
Communications & Media Relations Coordinator
Ontario University Athletics
Tel: 905.540-5156
Cel: 905.870-9773
Fax: 905.574-2840
E-mail: josh.bellwebster@oua.ca
Web: www.oua.ca
Heather Rollo
Communications Assistant
Ontario University Athletics
E-mail: heather.rollo@oua.ca
Web: www.oua.ca
