Hurricanes Host Instate Rival Florida State in ACC Home Opener
March 10, 2005
CORAL GABLES, Fla. -The ninth ranked University of Miami women’s tennis team will host instate rival Florida State in their inaugural ACC home opener Friday evening at 6:00 p.m. at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center.
The Hurricanes (8-2, 1-0 ACC) return to action after posting their sixth shutout of the season with a 7-0 victory over visiting Boston College Monday night. The Hurricanes are on a 19 match win streak at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center and have shutout their opponents in all five of their home matches.
Miami is led by senior Megan Bradley, who was ranked No. 1 in the country March 8th, and has posted an undefeated mark of 10-0 both singles and doubles in dual-match play. Bradley alongside sophomore Audrey Banada make up the nation’s No. 4 ranked doubles duo. The tandem has combined for a 9-0 dual record and an 18-1 overall record.
Banada, freshman Patricia Starzyk and senior Staci Stevens have all been on a tear recently. Banada has won five straight matches from the three, four and five positions for a 7-2 dual record while Starzyk has gone undefeated in ten matches since joining the Hurricanes. Stevens, who plays in the No. 2 and No. 3 positions has won six consecutive matches to improve her record to 7-3 in dual-match play.
The 33rd ranked Seminoles enters Friday’s contest as owners of a 5-3 record after picking up their third straight road victory over No. 25 San Diego State March 8th. Friday’s match against UM will be FSU’s ACC season opener.
Florida State is led by No. 18 Mihaela Moldovan who is 6-2 in dual-match play. Moldovan topped Florida’s Jennifer Magley and Alabama’s Robin Stephenson, who were ranked 10th and 7th at the time in the beginning of the season. Moldovan pairs up with Lindsey Deason to make up FSU’s 12th ranked doubles duo.
Miami leads the all-time series against Florida State, 22-2, with their last meeting dating back to a 4-3 Miami win March 1, 2002.
The FSU match will also serve as a UM women’s tennis alumni reunion where the Hurricanes will honor former players in a brief ceremony between the doubles and singles matches and will host an alumni reunion party immediately following the match.
Fans are invited out for FREE PIZZA Friday as the Hurricanes and Seminoles square off. Admission is free to students and the general public.
