Miami Women's Tennis Adds Doubles Team to Semifinals at Riviera
Oct. 3, 2008
Pacific Palisades, Calif. – The Hurricanes women’s tennis doubles team of Laura Vallverdu and Michaela Kissell improved to 2-0 on the year as they collected an 8-1 win in order to advance to the semifinals of the Riviera/ITA All-American Championships in Pacific Palisades, Calif.
The second day of action started out strong for the Hurricanes as the doubles team of Laura Vallverdu and Michaela Kissell breezed past the team of Alex Haney and Melissa Koning from Auburn, 8-1. The Auburn duo ranks No. 4 in the ITA preseason poll, giving the `Canes duo their second consecutive win over a top 10 team in the preseason ITA rankings.
Vallverdu and Kissell, ranked No. 15 in the ITA, face Fresno State’s team of Renata Kucerkova and Anastasia Petukhova, ranked No. 8, tomorrow afternoon.
In singles action, sophomore Julia Cohen (No. 21 in the ITA) earned a trip to the semifinals of the consolation main draw with back-to-back wins over Katsiaryna Zheltova (Sacramento State) and Tara Iyer (Duke). Cohen defeated Zheltova, ranked No. 21 in the ITA, in straight sets 7-6(6), 6-3. She returned in the evening session to knock off the Blue Devils’ Iyer in a three-set match on scores of 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.
Cohen charges into the semis of the consolation main draw tomorrow to face Megan Falcon (LSU), on Saturday at 10 a.m. (PST). Falcon enters the match ranked No. 15.
In other singles action, Vallverdu (No. 14) was upset in the main draw of the tournament by Arizona State’s Kelcy McKenna (No. 20) in straight sets 6-2, 7-6(5). Vallverdu battled back for a chance to send the match into a third set late in the second, but in the end McKenna closed things out.
For McKenna, it was her second upset of the day after knocking off top-seed and No. 1 nationally ranked Aurelija Miseviciute (Arkansas) 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4.
The Hurricanes’ Bianca Eichkorn (No. 109) had her 10-match win streak snapped Friday afternoon in the main draw as well at the hands of No. 6 Maria Mosolova (Northwestern). Mosolova took the straight-set match on 6-2, 6-3 scores.
For Eichkorn, it was her first loss since the season-opener at the 16th Annual William & Mary Invitational in Williamsburg, Va.
Action at the All-American Championships continues on Saturday with the semifinals of the singles and doubles draw taking place back at the Riviera Tennis Center. Vallverdu and Kissell will begin their semifinal match at 12:30 (PST).
Championship selections, updated results and live scoring can be found throughout both championships at www.itatennis.com.
