UM Women's Tennis Welcomes UCF on Sunday
Feb. 7, 2009
Coral Gables, Fla. – The University of Miami women’s tennis team will host their sixth consecutive home match of the 2009 season on Sunday, welcoming UCF to the Neil Schiff Tennis Center at 10 a.m. Admission to all women’s tennis matches are free, and everyone is invited to attend.
Miami (5-0) is coming off an impressive two-win stretch during last weekend’s ITA National Indoor Qualifier [Coral Gables] in which they defeated Utah (#47) and Tennessee (#23), respectively. Those victories allowed the `Canes to progress forward to next weekend’s ITA National Team Indoor Tournament in Madison Wisconsin. The event is set to begin Feb. 13.
Head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews is seeking just her second-ever 6-0 start on Sunday, also matching that mark in 2002–her first season at the helm in Coral Gables. The Orange and Green is a perfect 7-0 all-time against the Knights, having taken a 7-0 decision back in 2006.
Miami’s “Lethal Weapon 3” of Julia Cohen (Philadelphia, Pa.), Michaela Kissell (Hostetter, Pa.) and Laura Vallverdu (Valencia, Venezuela) are simply breezing through opponents as all three sports a 5-0 record, individually, in the spring. In fact, Kissell and Vallverdu have yet to drop a single set, while Kissell has yet to allow an opponent more than two games in a set-to-date.
All three players are ranked nationally, with Cohen (#8), Kissell (#50) and Vallverdu (#114), while Bianca Eichkorn (Tengen, Germany) fits into the mix perfectly sporting a 4-1 record in the spring (19-4 overall) ranking No. 20.
In doubles play, Miami has not dropped a single match at the No. 1 or No. 2 position. The Hurricanes duo of Eichkorn and Kissell, ranked No. 14 nationally, has not allowed an opponent over four games in a match-to-date.
Meanwhile, UCF has two matches in South Florida this weekend, beginning with Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton on Saturday afternoon. A day later, they venture further south to Coral Gables. The Knights are led by Elvira Serrot and freshman Christy Core. They are both complimented nicely by Andrea Yacaman.
The last time the Knights took the courts was a 7-0 loss to Florida Jan. 24. Prior to the set back against the Gators, UCF defeated Florida A&M in its home opener, 7-0, without dropping a set in singles play. UCF begins their South Florida road trip holding a 2-1 record.
For up-to-date UM Women’s Tennis information, live stats, box scores and recaps, please log on to www.hurricanesports.com, and simply navigate to the women’s tennis home page.
