April 17, 2004

CORAL GABLES, Fla.-The No. 22-ranked Miami women’s tennis team wins its regular season finale with a 7-0 shutout over No. 64 FIU Saturday afternoon at University Park on the FIU campus.

Miami wraps up the season with a 15-3 record, while the Golden Panthers fall to 13-5 overall.

Miami leads the all-time series 15-1 over FIU.

UM had its way in doubles play winning all three matches. At No. 1 doubles, the No. 37-ranked team of Melissa Applebaum (Coral Gables, Fla.) and Megan Bradley (Columbia, Mo.) defeated FIU’s Bruna Discordia and Mei Ly, 8-4.

Miami clinched the match with straight-set singles wins at No. 1-3-4. The nation’s No. 2 ranked Bradley beat Paula Zabala, 6-3, 6-1 at No. 1.

FIU put up a fight for points after that, but fell short, losing three super tiebreakers. At No. 2, former Golden Panther Mari Toro (Miami, Fla.) came back to beat Ly, 4-6, 6-2, (10-2). Sihem Bennacer (Algiers, Algeria) outlasted Desanka Jovanovic at No. 5, 6-2, 4-6, (10-8) and Sara Robbins (Tuscon, Ariz.) closed out the match with a 2-6, 6-2, (10-8) decision over Christine Suard at No. 6.

The Hurricanes will host the BIG EAST Tennis Championships April 29-May 1 at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center.

No. 22 Miami 7, No. 64 Florida International 0
April 17, 2004 – Miami, Fla.

Singles
1) #2 Megan Bradley (UM) def. Paula Zabala (FIU), 6-3, 6-1
2) Mari Toro (UM) def. Mei Ly (FIU), 4-6, 6-2, (10-2)
3) Staci Stevens (UM) def. Bruna Discordia (FIU), 6-3, 6-4
4) Audrey Banada (UM) def. Shilla D’Armas (FIU), 6-3, 6-1
5) Sihem Bennacer (UM) def. Desanka Jovanovic (FIU), 6-2, 4-6, (10-8)
6) Sara Robbins (UM) def. Christine Suard (FIU), 2-6, 6-2, (10-8)

Doubles
1) #37 Applebaum/Bradley (UM) def. Discordia/Ly (FIU), 8-4
2) Robbins/Stevens (UM) def. Jovanovic/Zabala (FIU), 8-2
3) Banada/Toro (UM) def. D’Armas/Suard (FIU), 8-1