Vallverdu Falls In Quarterfinal Round Of ITA Main Draw

Vallverdu Falls In Quarterfinal Round Of ITA Main Draw

Oct. 5, 2007

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – University of Miami sophomore Laura Vallverdu’s run at the 2007 Riviera/ITA All-American Tennis Championships ended in the quarterfinal round of the main draw with a heartbreaking loss to Georgia Tech’s Amanda McDowell, 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (9), Friday evening at the Riviera Country Club.

“It was a well-played and hard-fought match that really came down to the wire,” head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews said. “I’m really proud of the way Laura played this week in starting the season off at such a competitive event.”

Vallverdu took the early lead with a 7-5 win in the first set before McDowell evened the match up with a 7-5 win of her own in the second. After the third set went into a tie-breaker, Vallverdu was able to fight off five match points before eventually falling to McDowell, 11-9.

In second round play earlier in the afternoon, Vallverdu defeated Vanderbilt’s Amanda Taylor, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, in a grueling three-hour match to advance her into the field’s final eight.

The UM women’s tennis team returns to the court next weekend when they will travel to Midland, Texas to play in the Midland Invitational, Oct. 12-14.