Vallverdu Advances into Consolation Finals of ITA Indoors
Nov. 7, 2009
Updated Miami Results in PDF Format 
New Haven, Conn. – Gabriela Mejia and Laura Vallverdu of the University of Miami women’s tennis team fell in a tough three-set decision in doubles play of the ITA National Indoor Championships on Saturday, falling in the semifinals of the main draw of this year’s event hosted by Yale University at the Cullman-Heyman Tennis Center in New Haven, Conn.
Mejia and Vallverdu, ranked No. 36 in the ITA preseason doubles poll, were engaged in one of the most exciting matches of the doubles draw Saturday against the top-seeded team from the University of Tennessee, consisting of Natalie Pluskota and Caitlin Whoriskey. Pluskota and Whoriskey entered the tournament ranked seventh nationally, and cruised in their first two victories of the tournament.
However, the UM duo of Mejia and Vallverdu was unable to keep their record for the fall clean together at a perfect 10-0, instead falling in their first defeat of the year–going to 9-1 on the year courtesy a hard-fought and thrilling 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 come-from-behind victory by the Volunteers’ top-flight doubles tandem.
An interesting note is that Mejia and Vallverdu are pairing together for the first time ever in collegiate competition on the fall. Both had separate partners during Miami’s NCAA team quarterfinals run in 2009.
Tennessee’s Whoriskey and Pluskota will face-off against second-seeded Hilary Barte and Lindsay Burdette of Stanford, ranked No. 3 nationally, on Sunday in the finals of the main draw doubles bracket.
In singles play, three-time All-American and sixth-ranked Laura Vallverdu improved to 9-5 for singles play in the fall with two wins coming Sunday in the consolation draw. Vallverdu cruised past Armstrong Atlantic’s Sona Novakova in the quarterfinals of consolation action with a straight-set 6-0, 6-3 advantage. She continued her strong play with a dominating 6-0, 6-0 sweep of Florida State’s Noemie Scharle, 24th-ranked in the ITA singles poll.
The Valencia, Venezuela native will now face a familiar foe in the consolation finals when she tangles with Reka Zsilinszka of ACC rival Duke. Zsilinszka of the defending national team champion Blue Devils enters the match ranked 13th nationally, and will be facing Vallverdu for the first time this season.
The ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships feature a 32-player singles field and 16-team doubles field for men and women, including: champions from Wilson/ITA Regional Championships held across the country during October, the ITA National Small College “Super Bowl” champions, the singles semifinalists and doubles champions of the D’Novo/ITA Men’s All-American Tennis Championships and Riviera/ITA Women’s All-American Championships, and at-large and wild card selections made by the ITA National Tournament Committee.
For complete results and event information, visit www.itatennis.com.
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 Three)
Singles (Consolation Draw)
Quarterfinals
No. 6 Laura Vallverdu (Miami) def. Sona Novakova (Armstrong Atlantic) … 6-0, 6-3
Semifinals
No. 6 Laura Vallverdu (Miami) def. #24 Noemie Scharle (Florida State) … 6-0, 6-0
Doubles (Main Draw)
Semifinals
No. 7 Pluskota/Whoriskey (Tennessee) def. No. 36 Mejia/Vallverdu (Miami) … 2-6, 6-3, 6-4
