Women's Tennis At Midwest Fall Blast-Day One
Nov. 7, 2003
CORAL GABLES, Fla.-The Miami women’s tennis team won five-of-seven singles matches and two-of-three doubles matches in day one of the fifth annual Midwest Fall Blast hosted by Illinois Friday afternoon at the Atkins Tennis Center in Champaign, Ill.
Miami played Illinois in singles and Notre Dame in doubles action.
In singles, Sihem Bennacer (Algiers, Algeria) defeated Leila Cehajic in straight sets 6-2, 6-0. No. 48 Melissa Applebaum (Coral Gables, Fla.) beat Cynthya Goulet 6-1, 6-2.
Newcomers Audrey Banada (North Miami Beach, Fla.) and Natalie Mikolich (Boca Raton, Fla.) posted wins. Banada beat Emily Wang 6-1, 6-2, while Mikolich won the first set 6-2 before losing the second set 6-4 she battled back and beat Pavlina Akritas 6-2 in the third set.
Staci Stevens (Hammond, La.) defeated No. 57 Tiffany Eklov in three sets 6-1, 3-6, 6-2.
Play continues Saturday morning as Miami faces Virginia.
Doubles
Catrina Thompson/Christian Thompson (ND) def. Staci Stevens/Sara Robbins (UM) 8-1
Melissa Applebaum/Sihem Bennacer (UM) def. Kristina Stastny/Sarah Jane Connelly (ND) 8-6
Mari Toro/Audrey Banada (UM) def. Kelly Nelson/Liz Donahue (ND) 8-5
Singles
Sihem Bennacer (UM) def. Leila Cehajic (ILL) 6-2, 6-0
Melissa Applebaum (UM) def. Cynthya Goulet (ILL) 6-1, 6-2
Audrey Banada (UM) def. Emily Wang (ILL) 6-1, 6-2
Staci Stevens (UM) def. Tiffany Eklov (ILL) 6-1, 3-6, 6-2
Natalie Mikolich (UM) def. Pavlina Akritas (ILL) 6-2, 4-6, 6-2
Isabel Jarosz (ILL) def. Mari Toro (UM) 6-2, 6-7, 6-4
Brianna Knue (ILL) def. Sara Robbins (UM) 6-2, 6-0
Saturday, November 8
9 a.m. Doubles matches: Illinois vs. Notre Dame and Miami vs. Virginia
10 a.m. Singles matches: Miami vs. Notre Dame
Noon Mini-Blast bonus singles and doubles matches
3:30 p.m. Singles matches: Illinois vs. Virginia
Sunday, November 9
8 a.m. Doubles matches: Illinois vs. Miami and Virginia vs. Notre Dame
9 a.m. Singles matches: Miami vs. Virginia
11 a.m. Mini-Blast bonus singles and doubles matches
1 p.m. Singles matches: Illinois vs. Notre Dame
