As we laze deeper into the summer months devoid of college sports action, let's take a look back at some of the successes enjoyed by the RedHawks during the 2010-2011 campaigns. We start with the women's tennis team, which came within a single point of pulling off a three-peat.
The 2011 tennis season was supposed to be nothing less than the two seasons that preceded it: perfect. In both 2009 and 2010, the RedHawks were not only MAC Champions, they were undefeated in conference play. Though the team was in its first year under a new head coach (Anca Dumitrescu) in 2011, anything other than another tournament title would have been unacceptable. And right up until the end, everything went according to plan.
The regular season got off to a promising start, as the RedHawks won the opening non-conference matches against Xavier and Dayton by perfect scores of 7-0. Easy wins against Cincinnati and Butler put the 'Hawks at 4-0 before a three-game skid in early February ended premature hopes of an undefeated overall record. But Miami would get back on track and lost only two more matches to finish out the remainder of non-conference play. After a perfect 7-0 win over Jacksonville on March 9, the 'Hawks overall record stood at 9-5. The team was ranked #68 in the nation, its highest-ever ranking, and conference play was looming.
Including tournament play, the RedHawks were riding a 22-game win streak against MAC opponents. Their first MAC foe of 2011 was Toledo, and the Rockets were dismissed 5-2. The next day the Eastern Michigan Eagles fell 6-1. Bowling Green, Western Michigan, Northern Illinois and Ball State all fell similarly without posing much of a challenge.
On the final weekend of the regular season, the 'Hawks squared off against Akron, the only other team that was undefeated in 2011 conference play at 6-0. The Zips gave the 'Hawks their closest match of the year to that point, but Miami narrowly escaped with a 4-3 win. The next night Miami clinched a third consecutive undefeated conference record and regular season title with a 5-2 win over Buffalo. That made for 30 consecutive conference wins.
Naturally, the 'Hawks were the top seed in the MAC Tournament. They dispatched Ball State and Bowling Green in shutout fashion, eliminating both the Cardinals and the Falcons 4-0 (tournament matches end as soon as the outcome is decided). But then the Zips came back to plague the RedHawks in the championship game. After Miami won the opening doubles match, the Zips bounced back to win the next two and earn the doubles point. That meant the 'Hawks needed to win four singles matches before Akron could win three. They almost pulled it off. Miami won three of the first four singles matches to take a 3-2 lead in the series. Each of the final two games needed a decisive third set to determine the winner, but the Zips stole both of them, claiming their first-ever MAC Championship.
Despite the stunning end to the season, the 'Hawks were well-rewarded for their efforts. Stephanie Danesis and Nimisha Mohan were both named to the All-Tournament Team, and Danesis was also named to the Academic All-MAC Team. She and Anastasia Dracheva were both named First-Team All-MAC. Dracheva is the first player in program history to earn that accolade in all four years of her career. Also earning All-MAC honors was Megan Martzolf, who was named to the Second Team. Dumistrescu was named Coach of the Year in her inagural season, marking the third straight season the honor has gone to Miami's head coach.
The team lost four seniors to graduation, so it will be difficult to start a new streak to rival this one, but you know that's exactly what will be on the minds of those who remain.
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