Sixth Ranked Hurricanes Fall to No. 29 Cavaliers in 4-3 Heartbreaker
April 9, 2006
<?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. –29th ranked Virginia won the final four singles matches to claim a 4-3 upset victory over sixth ranked Miami in Atlantic Coast Conference women’s tennis action Sunday afternoon in the Cavaliers’ SnyderTennisCenter. <?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
The Hurricanes, who drop only their second loss in their last 15 matches, fall to 16-5 overall and 8-2 in ACC play. The Cavaliers improve to 11-7 overall and 5-4 in the ACC.
Miami had taken a 3-0 match lead after picking up the doubles point and winning at the No. 1 and No. 5 singles positions before Virginia won the final four singles matches to claim the upset.
At the No. 1 doubles position, UM’s fifth-ranked doubles tandem of Melissa Applebaum and Audra Cohen topped UVa’s 11th ranked duo of Kristen James and Lori Stern 8-6 as Monika Dancevic and Audrey Banada paired up to defeat Carolina Hammond and Amanda Rales 8-3 at the No. 2 slot to win the doubles point.
Banada, ranked 123rd, opened up singles play by giving up only one game en route to a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Lara Alexander at the No. 5 position.
Cohen, ranked second in the nation, then topped Rachel DelPriore 6-4, 6-0 at the No. 1 spot to give Miami a 3-0 lead.
Momentum shifted in favor of the host Cavaliers, however, when they won at the No. 2, 3 and 6 positions.
No. 112 Dancevic fell to No. 105 James, 7-5, 6-1 at the No. 2 slot before Applebaum, ranked 63rd, suffered a 7-5, 6-4 upset loss to Stern at the No. 3 position.
Virginia then tied the match at 3-all when Caroline Hammond outlasted Miami’s Caren Seenauth 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 at the No. 6 position.
The match came down to court No. 4 where Miami’s Patricia Starzyk and Virginia’s Lindsey Pereira were battling in the third set. Pereira gave up only one game in the third set to claim a 6-7, 7-6, 6-1 victory and clinch the upset.
The Hurricanes return to action Sunday, April 16 when they welcome Duke to the NeilSchiffTennisCenter for their final regular season match.
