Horizon League women’s tennis leader Cleveland State Vikings (6-10, 3-0 Horizon) defeated the Oakland University Golden Grizzlies (5-11, 1-3 Horizon) 5-2 on Sunday, March 30, to leave OU winless this weekend.

The Grizzlies also lost to Youngstown State the day before, 4-3. The team entered the weekend coming off of their first Horizon League victory versus Green Bay. 

“I think the biggest thing is our doubles play,” OU head coach Heather Redshaw said. “We played really good doubles Saturday, and today we came out flat and did not play well.”

Karine Celis and Juliana Guevara were in control for Oakland in one of the doubles matches, before the point was called after their teammates could not keep up with the Vikings on the other two courts.

“Horizon League is definitely much tougher for tennis,” Redshaw said. “The top of the Horizon league, we’re playing them. I mean this is it, Cleveland State.”

After the doubles match, OU had a tough time making up the deficit, dropping four of the six ensuing singles matches.

Tamara Blum and Guevara were the only two Grizzlies to walk away with points for OU during singles. Blum won in straight sets, 6-3 6-2, to advance to 2-2 during Horizon League play.

Guevara’s match ended in a 12-10 super tie-breaker after three sets, winning the first and last. It was Guevara’s third Horizon League win in singles.

“We need to just be competitive from the beginning of the match to the end of the match,” Redshaw said. “We’ve come a long way, we’ve definitely improved since January. We have a really tough season so far, with the matches that we scheduled, but we’re looking to improve every time we come out here.”

Celis won her first game by breaking Bush’s serve and then trading two games apiece with the senior. 

The Grizzlies go on the road next weekend to Wright State before returning home to have another big weekend versus University of Illinois-Chicago and Valparaiso.

“Next weekend is huge for us,” Redshaw said. “Wright State we play, and we got to come out.”