Orange End Fall Season at Buffalo Invite

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Syracuse concluded its 2021 fall schedule at the Buffalo Invitational Nov. 5-7. Freshman Miyuka Kimoto battled to a 2-1 mark in singles play and 3-0 record in doubles action, while junior Zeynep Erman won three doubles matches to lead the Orange.

Syracuse teamed with Niagara for dual matches against St. John's, Cornell and Buffalo. Kimoto won a tight singles match at No. 1 against the Red Storm's Mouna Bouzgarrou, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 10-8. Fellow freshman Shiori Ito cruised to a 6-2, 6-3 victory against Jayden Nielsen at the No. 2 singles spot. The Orange also played at the top two doubles spots against St. John's. Ito and Ines Fonte lost at the No. 1 spot, 6-4, while Kimoto and Erman posted a 6-2 win at No. 2 over Bouzgarrou and Lalita Devarakonda. The doubles triumph was Kimoto's second over Devarakonda, the first coming in singles play in September's Columbia Invitational. 'Cuse wrapped up the fall with a 5-1 record in matches against St. John's.

The Orange and the Purple Eagles faced Cornell on Saturday. Kimoto lost at No. 1 singles, 5-7, 6-1, 10-6, while Ito posted a 6-3, 6-1 victory at No. 2 singles. In doubles action, Ito and Fonte lost, 6-4, at No. 1, and Kimoto and Erman recorded a 6-0 victory in the No. 2 spot against Cornell's Maria Adiaconitei and Valerie Ho.

Syracuse matched up against the hosts to wrap up the fall slate. Buffalo's Pia Schwarz defeated Ito, 6-3, 6-2, at No. 1 singles. Kimoto stayed hot in the No. 2 spot and won her singles match over Hsin-Yuan Shih in straight sets, 7-5, 7-5. Both Orange doubles teams posted victories against the Bulls. Ito and Kimoto recorded a 6-3 victory at No. 1, while Erman and Fonte delivered a 7-5 win at No. 2.

The team combined for an impressive 10-3 record in doubles matches through the fall schedule. Kanapatskaya, Fonte, Ito, and Kimoto accounted for fifteen singles victories as well. The Orange will be back in action in the spring with a full slate of ACC matches.

Buffalo Invite Results

Friday vs. St. John's

    Kimoto def. Bouzgarrou 6-2, 6-7 (5), 10-8
    Ito def. Nielsen (St. John's) 6-3, 6-3
    Nielsen/De Lucas (St. John's) def. Fonte/Ito 6-4
    Erman/Kimoto def. Bouzgarrou/Devarakonda (St. John's) 6-2

Saturday vs. Cornell

    Mi def. Kimoto 5-7, 6-1, 10-6
    Ito def. Savu 6-3, 6-1
    Erman/Kimoto def. Adiaconitei/Ho 6-0
    Savu/Wong def. Fonte/Ito 6-4

Sunday vs. Buffalo

    Schwarz def. Ito 6-3, 6-2
    Kimoto def. Shih 7-5, 7-5
    Ito/Kimoto def. Comlek/Shih 6-3
    Erman/Fonte def. Antoniou/Schwarz 7-5

Players Mentioned

Zeynep Erman

Ines Fonte

Shiori Ito

Miyuka Kimoto

Players Mentioned

Zeynep Erman

Ines Fonte

Shiori Ito

Miyuka Kimoto

Syracuse University Athletics