Miami Continues Strong Play at Georgia Tech Invite

Sept. 19, 2009

Updated Tournament Scores in PDF Format

Atlanta, Ga. – The University of Miami women’s tennis team continued its strong play Saturday at the Georgia Tech Fall Invitational, picking up three singles wins and two doubles victories at the Bill Moore Tennis Center in Atlanta, Ga.

Sophomore transfer Anna Bartenstein picked up a huge upset knocking off Georgia Tech’s 15th-ranked Amanda McDowell–the 2008 NCAA Women’s Tennis Singles Champion. Bartenstein collected a 7-6 score in the first set, then taking a 3-0 lead before McDowell retired to end the match.

For Bartenstein, this is the second consecutive ranked opponent she’s taken down in singles play in as many days.

Miami sophomore Gabriela Mejia picked up another win to improve to 2-0 on the year on the strength of a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Georgia Tech’s Sasha Krupina in Flight 3.

“I really feel like the returners have already hit midseason form, and that’s exactly where we want to be if we want go far this year,” head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews said. “The new players are learning a lot from our returners and gaining great experience.”

Senior Laura Vallverdu, ranked No. 6, dropped a tight match with Georgia Tech’s eighth-ranked Irina Falconi in Flight 1. Falconi escaped with a 7-6, 6-4 win over Vallverdu who had her winning streak snapped at 18 matches dating back to last season.

UM freshman Danielle Mills dropped a tough three-set affair with Georgia Tech’s in Flight 4 play, 6-1, 5-7, 2-6. Senior Claudia Wasilewski gained her third-straight win of the year in singles play courtesy a 6-7, 6-1, 6-1 decision over the Yellow Jackets Elizabeth Kilborn.

“In the past, we’ve had to wait on our returners to get into mid-season form, and this year they are starting to play well immediately,” added Yaroshuk-Tews.

In doubles play, Mejia and Vallverdu gained a 9-8 (7-4) win over Georgia Tech’s Hilary Bartlett and Taylor Marable in Flight 1. Meanwhile, in Flight 2, Bartenstein and Mills combined for a doubles victory over Princeton’s Rachel Saiontz and Monica Chow, 8-3.

Princeton, the defending Ivy League champs and NCAA Tournament team from a year ago in the Coral Gables Regional, collected a win in Flight 3 doubles over Miami’s Bianca Eichkorn and Wasilewski, 8-2.

Eichkorn was making her season debut for the `Canes after rehabilitating an injury stretching from the end of last season.

The action continues tomorrow back at the Bill Moore Tennis Center as Miami opens the day against opponents from Georgia Tech in doubles play at 9 a.m. That will conclude the `Canes action at this year’s tournament.

For more in-depth information on this year’s Georgia Tech Fall Invitational, please click here.

For more information on University of Miami Women’s Tennis, please log on to www.hurricanesports.com. After browsing to the women’s tennis home page, you will find the latest news, stats and match notes pertaining to the Hurricanes Women’s Tennis program.

2009 Georgia Tech Fall Invitational Schedule

Sunday
9 a.m. – Doubles – GT vs. Miami; UGA vs. Princeton
10:30 a.m. – Singles – GT vs. Princeton
1 p.m. – Singles – GT vs. UGA