Hurricanes Advance to ACC Semifinals with 4-1 Win Over Duke
April 22, 2005
<?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>CARY, N.C. – The 12th ranked and second seeded University of Miami women’s tennis team downed seventh seeded Duke, 4-1, in the Quarterfinal round of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Championship Friday afternoon at the Cary Tennis Center in Cary, N.C. Miami advances to play the winner of the #3 Clemson/#6 Wake Forest match at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
With the win, the Hurricanes improve to 19-3 on the season while the Blue Devils, ranked 15th, fall to 15-10.
The Hurricanes opened the match by winning the crucial doubles point to take a 1-0 lead. Sophomore Audrey Banada and junior Melissa Applebaum paired up to down Duke’s Jackie Carleton/Kristin Cargill pair, 8-3 at the No. 1 slot as UM’s freshman duo of Patricia Starzyk and Caren Seenauth upended Saras Arasu and Parker Goyer, 8-5, at the No. 3 position to clinch the doubles point. At the No. 2 slot, seniors Megan Bradley and Staci Stevens had a 7-6 lead over Tory Zawacki and Clelia Deltour before the match was called.
UM’s Applebaum/Banada doubles tandem improved to 3-0 in dual match play, while Starzyk and Seenauth picked up their first victory as a pair.
Bradley gave the Hurricanes a 2-0 match lead with a 6-3, 6-1 straight set victory over (121) Carleton at the No. 1 slot for her 35th-consecutive win. The No. 1 ranked player in the country improved her record to 40-1 overall and 21-0 in dual action.
The Blue Devils got on the board after Stevens fell to Arasu 6-2, 6-2 at the No. 2 position.
Applebaum pulled the Hurricanes to within one point of the match victory giving up only three games en route to a 6-3, 6-0 straight set over Deltour at No. 3 singles.
Sophomore Emily Mowery, ranked 99th, then clinched the match for the Hurricanes after upending Goyer 6-2, 6-1 at the No. 6 position.
Banada had a 6-0, 5-3 lead over Zawacki at the No. 5 spot and Starzyk was down 7-5, 0-1 to Cargill at the No. 4 position before the match was called.
The Hurricanes will next take on the winner of the # 3Clemson/ #6 Wake Forest match Saturday at 1:00 p.m. at the Cary Tennis Center.
