Vallverdu and Farah Continue To Rise In Doubles Rankings
April 2, 2008
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – All-American sophomore Laura Vallverdu and senior Romy Farah moved up from 19th to 15th in doubles play and the University of Miami women’s tennis team jumped up three spots to No. 11 in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings released Wednesday.
Vallverdu and Farah continue their rise in ITA’s doubles rankings, moving up 20 spots since ACC play began on March 3. The duo has gone 6-2 in their last eight matches in UM’s No. 1 position, including picking up their biggest win of the season this past weekend in an 8-2 victory over Duke’s then-No. 3 team of Melissa Mang and Amanda Granson.
The team, ranked 14th last week, slides up three spots to No. 11 after a 4-3 win over then-No. 6 Duke, their second win over a Top 10 opponent this season. The Hurricanes’ match against No. 12 North Carolina this past Sunday was suspended with the score tied 2-2.
Northwestern continues to hold the top spot in the team rankings, with Georgia Tech, Florida, Baylor and Stanford rounding out the Top 5. Cal, Duke, Southern Cal, UCLA and Georgia finish out the Top 10 just ahead of the 11th-ranked `Canes. The ACC still has nine teams ranked in the ITA Top 50 with No. 15 North Carolina, No. 18 Florida State, No. 23 Clemson, No. 32 Wake Forest, No. 40 Virginia and No. 50 NC State joining Georgia Tech, Duke and UM. Virginia Tech sits just outside of the ITA Top 50 at No. 51.
In the singles rankings, Vallverdu re-entered the Top 20 after a three-week hiatus, coming in at No. 20. She beat Duke’s Tara Iyer in the No. 1 position on Friday – her 10th win in her last 11 matches – before her match with UNC’s ninth-ranked Sanaz Marand was suspended in the third set. Vallverdu has also won 5-of-6 singles matches at No. 1 against ACC opposition.
UM’s other two players ranked in singles play are freshman Michaela Kissell, who comes in at No. 53, and Farah, who sits at No. 80.
Arkansas’ Aurelija Miseviciute holds the top spot in the singles rankings while Notre Dame’s tandem of Brook Buck and Kelcy Tefft sit atop the doubles poll.
The Hurricanes will embark on a four-match road trip over the next two weeks leading up to the ACC Tournament, April 17-20. Miami will head to Boston College to take on the Eagles on Saturday at 10 a.m. before turning around to play at Maryland Sunday at 10 a.m. again. The `Canes final regular season road trip will be at NC State and at Wake Forest, April 12-13.
