UM Doubles Team Advances at ITA National Indoors
Nov. 5, 2009
New Haven, Conn. – The University of Miami’s doubles team of Gabriela Mejia and Laura Vallverdu collected a 9-7 upset over the defending doubles national champions Thursday afternoon, advancing to the quarterfinals of the ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships hosted by Yale University in New Haven, Conn.
Mejia and Vallverdu, ranked No. 36 nationally by the ITA in the preseason polls, earned this year’s automatic bid to the Indoor Championships by claiming the ITA Southeast Regional title two weeks ago in Athens, Ga.
On Thursday, the Hurricanes duo claimed a 9-7 upset win of California’s No. 2 ranked and third-seeded team of Mari Andersson and Jana Juricova in the opening round of this year’s main draw doubles bracket. Andersson and Juricova swept through last year’s NCAA Doubles Championships on their way to claiming the school’s fifth NCAA Doubles title.
For Mejia and Vallverdu, Thursday’s win marked one of the biggest doubles upsets in recent years for the UM women’s program, and for women’s head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews–now in her ninth year serving as head coach of the UM women’s program in Coral Gables.
In the process, Mejia and Vallverdu up their record together for the fall to a perfect 8-0, claiming their first win over a top five team (their second against a top 15 squad). They now face the team of Vanessa Heroux and Katia Sabate of Fresno Pacific on Friday at 8 a.m. Live stats for the match can be accessed by visiting www.itatennis.com.
In singles play, Vallverdu–ranked No. 6 in the ITA preseason poll, fell to Southern California’s Maria Sanchez in straight sets (6-3, 6-3) in her opening round of play of the singles main draw. The match was the second of the year between the cross-country foes, with Vallverdu collecting a 6-2, 6-4 triumph in their first meeting at the Riviera/ITA All-American Championships in California back in early October.
With the loss, Vallverdu lowers her record to 6-5 in singles play on the young season.
She now awaits word as to her opponent for the consolation round of the singles bracket scheduled to be announced later Thursday evening. Her match in the consolation draw is scheduled to begin Friday, Nov. 6 at 2 p.m. When announced, the bracket for the consolation singles can be accessed by clicking 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.
ITA National Indoor Championships (Day One)
Singles (Main Draw)
Round of 32
No. 17 Maria Sanchez (Southern California) def. No. 6 Laura Vallverdu (Miami) … 6-3, 6-3
Doubles (Main Draw)
Round of 16
No. 36 Mejia/Vallverdu (Miami) def. No. 2 Andersson/Juricova (California) … 9-7
