Top Seeded Hurricanes Fall To Notre Dame In BIG EAST Finals

April 27, 2003

CORAL GABLES, Fla.–The No. 1-seeded University of Miami women’s tennis team fell 4-3 to No. 2-seeded Notre Dame in the 2003 BIG EAST Championship match Sunday at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center.

Miami, the defending BIG EAST Champions, advanced to the title match for the 12th consecutive season.

The Irish and Hurricanes split the six singles matches, as well as the first two doubles matches, leaving the team title in the hands of the No. 2 doubles contest, which Notre Dame won 8-6.

Miami won its semifinal match against Virginia Tech 4-0 before playing Notre Dame.

The team will await an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament beginning May 9-11.

Women’s Match No. 3 – No. 1 Miami def. No. 4 Virginia Tech – 4-0
Singles
No. 1 Megan Bradley (UM) def. Kristin Stubbs (VT) 6-1, 6-1
No. 2 Melissa Applebaum (UM) def. Carolyn Kramer (VT) 6-0, 6-3
No. 3 Mari Toro (UM) def. Elissa Kinard (VT) 6-3, 6-3
No. 4 Staci Stevens (UM) def. Felice Lam (VT) 6-1, 6-4
No. 5 Sihem Bennacer (UM) def. Zdenka Videnova (VT) DNF
No. 6 Sara Robbins (UM) def. Ginger Lowdermilk (VT) DNF

Women’s Championship Match – No. 2 Notre Dame def. No. 1 Miami – 4-3
Singles
No. 1 Megan Bradley (UM) def. Caylan Leslie (ND) 6-4, 3-6, 6-2
No. 2 Alicia Salas (ND) def. Melissa Applebaum (UM) 7-5, 4-6, 7-5
No. 3 Mari Toro (UM) def. Kristina Stastny (ND) 6-3, 7-6 (2)
No. 4 Sarah Jane Connelly (ND) def. Staci Stevens (UM) 6-3, 2-6, 7-5
No. 5 Lauren Connelly (ND) def. Sihem Bennacer (UM) 7-6 (3), 6-3
No. 6 Sara Robbins (UM) def. Jen Smith (ND) 5-7, 6-4, 6-2
Doubles
No. 1 Melissa Applebaum/Megan Bradley (UM) def. Lauren Connelly/Alicia Salas (ND) 8-2
*No. 2 Sarah Jane Connelly/Kristina Stastny (ND) def. Igna deVilliers/Abby Smith (UM) 8-6
No. 3 Caylan Leslie/Jen Smith (ND) def. Mari Toro/Staci Stevens (UM) 8-2
*clinched match