Senior Sarah Cyganiak ran into her stiffest competition of the season Saturday after the Michigan women's tennis team swept Penn State, 7-0. The challenge came in the form of a cow piñata, and it seemed that Cyganiak had more trouble with that cow than she did with her human opponent.
The piñata, which had the names of all the Big Ten schools on it, was hung and bashed by Cyganiak after she finished with a 10-0 record in the Big Ten. She also finished the season undefeated at the Tisch Tennis Center with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Penn State's Olga Novikova. The victory marked the last home match in her illustrious Michigan career.
Cyganiak landed in Ann Arbor with a bang. After going 103-0 and winning the Wisconsin high school state championship for four straight years before attending Michigan, she continued her roll by winning the Big Ten freshman of the year award and being selected ITA Midwest Regional rookie of the year.
In her second season, she wanted nothing to do with a sophomore slump, qualifying for the NCAA championships instead of falling prey to the jinx. She won her first match before falling in the second round. That remarkable season, in which she compiled a 34-14 overall record and a 10-0 regular season mark in the conference, earned her Big Ten player of the year honors.
Cyganiak continued to roll in her junior year. She compiled a 22-9 overall record and teamed with junior Sora Moon for a 17-1 dual-match doubles mark and a trip to NCAAs. The duo went out in the first round, but still finished the season 28th in the nation.
After three great seasons, was it possible for her to cap it off with an even better senior season? Yup. Cyganiak is now 25-10 overall, is undefeated in the Big Ten for the second time in her career, and has continued to team up with Moon to post 27 doubles victories.
Looking back at her career makes one realize what an impact Cyganiak has had on the Wolverines and how big a hole her departure leaves. With the exception of a brief period at the beginning of her freshman year, Cyganiak has played in the No. 1 spot her entire career. She is now three wins shy of 100 and is currently 44th in the nation in singles.
"This is the hardest thing about coaching," Ritt said. "At this level, it's a revolving door with players staying four or five years. It makes it really tough."
Cyganiak heads into next weekend hoping to make her farewell a fond one. After finishing off their first ever undefeated season in the Big Ten with the win over Penn State, the Wolverines must prepare for Friday's Big Ten championships. The seedings come out today, but Michigan is a lock for the top spot.
And if things go according to plan, that cow will have been the hardest challenge for Cyganiak and the Wolverines for the rest of the season.
JEANNIE SERVAAS/Daily
Michigan's Sarah Cyganiak struck this ball almost as hard as the pinata she received after finishing the season undefeated in the Big Ten, going 10-0. Cyganiak is now just three wins shy of reaching 100
victories for her career.