Women's Tennis Squad Begins Quest For BIG EAST Title

April 20, 2000

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The 45th-ranked University of Miami women’stennis team will face West Virginia in Friday’s quarterfinal round of theBIG EAST Women’s Tennis Championships starting at noon at the Neil SchiffTennis Center in Coral Gables.

Miami, the tournament’s No. 2 seed, received a first round bye.Seventh-seeded West Virginia advanced on the strength of a 5-0 win over No.10 Pittsburgh Thursday afternoon.

The Hurricanes, who are hosting the tournament for the eighthconsecutive season, have won the championship five times since joining theconference in 1991. Miami last won the BIG EAST title in 1998.

Top-seed and defending champion Notre Dame will also begin playFriday at noon against No. 9 Rutgers. Rutgers earned a berth in thequarterfinals with a 5-3 win over eighth-seeded Providence.

Miami and Notre Dame have played for the BIG EAST Championship ineach of the last four seasons.

Syracuse, the No. 3 seed, will also see action for the first time atthis year’s championship. The Orangewomen are ranked 75th in the nation andwill play sixth-seeded Georgetown, a 5-2 winner over No. 11 Villanova, at 9a.m.

Thursday’s Women’s BIG EAST Tennis Championship Results:
No. 9 Rutgers 5, No. 8 Providence 3
No. 4 Boston College 5, No. 13 St. John’s 0
No. 5 Seton Hall 5, No. 12 Connecticut 0
No. 6 Georgetown 5, No. 11 Villanova 2
No. 7 West Virginia 5, No. 10 Pittsburgh 0

Friday’s Women’s BIG EAST Tennis Championship Schedule:
At the Neil Schiff Tennis Center, Coral Gables, FL
9:00 a.m. No. 3 Syracuse vs. No. 6 Georgetown
Noon No. 1 Notre Dame vs. No. 9 Rutgers
Noon No. 2 Miami vs. No. 7 West Virginia
At the Tennis Center at Crandon Park, Key Biscayne, FL
9:00 a.m. No. 12 Connecticut vs. No. 13 St. John’s
9:00 a.m. No. 4 Boston College vs. No. 5 Seton Hall
3:00 p.m. No. 8 Providence vs. Connecticut/St. John’s winner
3:00 p.m. No. 10 Pittsburgh vs. No. 11 Villanova