No. 10 Miami Eases Past No. 47 Wichita State, 6-1
Feb. 23, 2008
CORAL GABLES, <?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>Fla. – In its final tune-up before Atlantic Coast Conference play begins, the 10th-ranked University of Miami women’s tennis team took care of business against No. 47 Wichita State Saturday afternoon, picking up a 6-1 win over the Shockers at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
A new doubles lineup for the Hurricanes led to three wins and the opening point, setting the table for a near singles sweep for UM. The `Canes won the first five singles positions in straight sets but fell just short of their second sweep this season when WSU picked up a win in the No. 6 spot to close out the match.
“I think the girls performed well as a team today,” assistant coach Jeff Thomsen said. “Coming off last week’s match against Baylor, a solid win today is just what we needed heading into conference play.”
With the win, the Hurricanes complete the non-conference portion of their schedule with a record of 7-2 overall, with four of those wins coming against Top-35 opposition. Miami will now turn its attention to ACC play, with a trip to rival FloridaState around the corner.
“It is never easy playing on the road in a league like the ACC, but our team will be ready to compete at a high level next weekend in Tallahassee,” Thomsen added.
UM’s new doubles lineup started with Caren Seenauth and Romy Farah teamed together at the top spot while Laura Vallverdu and Bianca Eichkorn played at No. 2 and Gina Sabatino and Michaela Kissell moved to the third position.
No. 14 Vallverdu won her fifth match in a row at No. 1 with a dominant 6-0, 6-2 win over Stephanie Dalmacio. No. 70 Kissell won 6-1, 6-3 in a return to the No. 2 spot, No. 80 Farah beat Lenore Lazaroiu, 6-1, 6-2 at No. 3, No. 62 Eichkorn cruised late against Torrie Browning, 6-4, 6-0 in the fourth position and Seenauth won 6-3, 6-3 at No. 5.
Wichita State (1-3) picked up its only point when Laryssa Ferreira defeated Sabatino, 6-4, 7-6 (12) in a back-and-forth battle in the sixth spot.
Seenauth and Farah, recently ranked No. 31 as a doubles tandem after a team-best mark of 10-6 this past fall, beat Anna Egorova and Lazaroiu, 8-2, at No. 1 in their first match together this spring. Vallverdu and Eichkorn, who were also playing together for the first time this spring, won 8-7 (4) to improve to 4-0 as a duo. In the third doubles position, Sabatino and Kissell, who have spent most of their time at No. 2, defeated Browning and Florentina Hanisch, 8-4.
The Hurricanes’ match against FSU is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 29 at 3 p.m. in Tallahassee.
No. 10 Miami 6, No. 47 WichitaState 1
Singles
1. No. 14 Laura Vallverdu (UM) def. Stephanie Dalmacio (WSU), 6-0, 6-2
2. No. 70 Michaela Kissell (UM) def. Anna Egorova (WSU), 6-1, 6-3
3. No. 80 Romy Farah (UM) def. Lenore Lazaroiu (WSU), 6-1, 6-2
4. No. 62 Bianca Eichkorn (UM) def. Torrie Browning (WSU), 6-4, 6-0
5. Caren Seenauth (UM) def. Florentina Hanisch (WSU), 6-3, 6-3
6. Laryssa Ferreira (WSU) def. Gina Sabatino (UM), 6-4, 7-6 (12)
Order of Finish: 1, 4, 2*, 3, 5, 6
Doubles
1. No. 31 Caren Seenauth/Romy Farah (UM) def. Anna Egorova/Lenore Lazaroiu (WSU), 8-2
2. Laura Vallverdu/Bianca Eichkorn (UM) def. Stephanie Dalmacio/Laryssa Ferreira (WSU), 8-7 (4)
3. Gina Sabatino/Michaela Kissell (UM) def. Torrie Browning/Florentina Hanisch (WSU), 8-4
Order of Finish: 1, 3*, 2
