No. 7 Miami Upsets No. 2 Notre Dame to Reach NCAA Final Four
May 19, 2006
<?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – For the first time in 20 years and the third time in school history, the Miami women’s tennis team advanced to the NCAA Tournament Semifinals when the seventh-seeded Hurricanes (23-6) upset second-seeded Notre Dame, 4-0, Friday evening at the San Francisco Tennis Club. The Fighting Irish, who had lost on only one occasion during the season, finished with a 27-2 record. <?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
The Hurricanes advance to the Final Four Sunday, May 21 at 12:00 p.m. (9:00 a.m. Pacific) where they will play third-seed Southern California who held-off 11th seeded Northwestern, 4-3 Friday.
Miami last reached the NCAA Semifinals in 1986 when the Hurricanes defeated California, 5-3, in the quarterfinals. The Hurricanes previous-best finish in the NCAA Tournament was in 1985 when they fell to USC, 6-2, in the championship final. In their 11th trip to the NCAA Tournament, the Hurricanes now hold a 23-20 all-time record.
“I think the girls played, without a doubt, the best tennis I’ve seen all season,” said head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews. “We started off on the doubles court and were able to take that momentum and roll with it in singles.”
“I’m so proud of them, the way they fought and the way they competed at the high-level that they played. They played such a high-level match and they should be very happy.”
The match between the former BIG EAST rivals, slated to begin at 6:00 p.m. (3:00 p.m. Pacific), suffered a four-hour delay due to rain in the Stanford area. The match was moved to an indoor facility in the San Francisco Tennis Club.
Miami opened the match by winning the doubles point over a Notre Dame squad that had not lost the doubles point in any of its previous 28 matches. The Irish claimed a quick win at No. 3 doubles but Miami clinched the point with wins at courts No. 2 and No. 1. Playing at the No. 2 position, Audrey Banada and Monika Dancevic defeated Brook Buck and Kelcy Tefft, 8-3. Miami clinched the point when All-American’s Melissa Applebaum and Audra Cohen, ranked second nationally, defeated Notre Dame’s All-American fifth-ranked twin duo of Catrina and Christian Thompson, 8-6.
Applebaum is now tied for first all-time with a 104-32 career doubles mark. She sits atop the Miami record books with former Miami standout Lise Gregory who holds a 104-12 mark.
With the momentum in Miami’s favor, the Hurricanes took a 2-0 match lead with a quick win at No. 1 singles. Cohen, ranked second in the nation, claimed her 19th win over a ranked opponent when she topped 30th ranked Catrina Thompson in straight-sets, 6-2, 6-1. Cohen improved to 31-1 this season.
Applebaum, ranked 76th, gave the Hurricanes a 3-0 match lead when she defeated 113th ranked Christian Thompson, 6-3, 6-2 at the No. 2 position.
Dancevic, ranked 107th nationally, clinched the match for Miami with a 7-5, 6-3 straight-set victory over 87th ranked Buck at the No. 3 position.
Banada held a 6-2, 1-1 advantage over Tefft at the No. 4 slot while UM’s Patricia Starzyk claimed the first set over Kristina Statsny, 6-2, and was up 2-0 in the second set at No. 5 singles.
Miami had not played Notre Dame since 2004 when the Hurricanes topped the Irish 4-3 in the BIG EAST Championship final. Notre Dame leads the all-time series10-6.
Friday, May 19 – Women’s Team Quarterfinals ~ Results
No. 3 USC 4, No. 11 Northwestern 3
No. 7 Miami 4, No. 2 Notre Dame 0
No. 4 Florida 4, No. 5 Baylor 0
No. 1 Stanford 4, No. 8 Duke 0
Sunday, May 21 – Women’s Team Semifinals ~ Schedule
9 a.m. – Taube Stadium No. 3 USC vs. No. 7 Miami
Noon – Taube Stadium No. 4 Florida vs. No. 1 Stanford
