No. 6 Hurricanes upset by No. 16 Michigan, 4-3
Feb. 13, 2010
Madison, Wis. – The No. 6 University of Miami women’s tennis team competed in another exciting match on Saturday, but fell just short in the end as the No. 16 University of Michigan claimed a 4-3 upset win in the consolation round of the ITA National Team Indoor Championships at the A.C. Nielsen Tennis Stadium in Madison, Wis.
Michigan (5-2) opened up doubles play claiming the first two positions, allowing them the all-important doubles point right from the start.
The Wolverines used an 8-2 win in third flight play, seeing the team of Michelle Sulahian and Mimi Nguyen push past Miami’s Danielle Mills and Claudia Wasilewski for the victory. That was followed up at the second position when Whitney Taney and Rika Tatsuno garnered an 8-1 defeat of the `Canes Anna Bartenstein and Bianca Eichkorn.
Miami (3-3) avoided the doubles sweep with the third-ranked duo of Gabriela Mejia and Laura Vallverdu picking up an 8-6 decision over Michigan’s Denise Muresan and Tania Mahtani in top flight play.
In the singles portion of the match, Michigan took a 2-0 lead early-on when UM freshman Danielle Mills was unable to fill her normal fifth position in the lineup. That would force UM head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews to move senior Claudia Wasilewski from her sixth position into the voided fifth position – leaving the six spot free for a Michigan victory courtesy a default.
The Wolverine’s Michelle Sulahian claimed the default win at the six spot.
However, Miami got on the board fast, as junior Bianca Eichkorn (No. 99) earned her seventh consecutive win via a 6-3, 6-1 triumph over the Wolverines’ Rika Tatsuno on court three. In the process, Eichkorn (a 2009 ITA All-American) claimed her 11th win of the year.
Michigan took the next decision, pushing the match to a 3-1 deficit for the Hurricanes, when Whitney Taney turned in a 6-3, 6-1 straight-set decision over Wasilewski.
Moments later, senior three-time All-American Laura Vallverdu (No. 7) stepped off the court with a 6-4, 7-6 (7-2) victory over Michigan’s Denise Muresan (No. 36) in the top singles spot. The win allowed Vallverdu, Miami’s all-time singles wins leader, to snap a two-match losing streak, and improved the Valencia, Venezuela native’s record for the year at 16-8.
Miami sophomore transfer Anna Bartenstein knotted the match, 3-3, at the second position when she turned in a 2-6, 6-0, 6-3 comeback thriller in three sets, defeating Michigan’s Tania Mahtani on court two. Bartenstein’s win upped her record to 15-3 on the campaign, as she has now won nine of her last 10 matches.
The decisive point in the match came on court four as the Wolverines’ Mimi Nguyen came back for a three-set triumph over the Hurricanes’ Gabriela Mejia (No. 93), claiming a 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-3), 6-1 line. For Mejia, the loss served as her first of the spring, pulling her to 5-1 (11-3 overall).
Miami is now 0-2 at the ITA National Team Indoor Championships, and has lost three consecutive matches for the first time since 2000. However, all three losses for UM have come against Top 20 opponents by the slimmest of margins, 4-3 – adding the fact that Saturday’s loss included a forfeit at the sixth position.
The `Canes will conclude the ITA Team Indoor Championships Sun., Feb. 14 when facing the University of Georgia at 10 a.m. (EST) back at the A.C. Nielsen Tennis Stadium. Admission is free.
The Hurricanes won’t return home to the Neil Schiff Tennis Center until Sat., Feb. 27 when playing host to Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) opponent Clemson at noon. The match will serve as the ACC-opener for both clubs, as the Tigers travel to Coral Gables for the first time in two years.
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.
#16 Michigan 4, #6 Miami 3
Singles
1. #7 Laura Vallverdu (UM) def. #36 Denise Muresan (MICH) 6-4, 7-6 (7-2)
2. Anna Bartenstein (UM) def. Tania Mahtani (MICH) 2-6, 6-0, 6-3
3. #99 Bianca Eichkorn (UM) def. Rika Tatsuno (MICH) 6-3, 6-1
4. Mimi Nguyen (MICH) def. Gabriela Mejia (UM) 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-3), 6-1
5. Whitney Taney (MICH) def. Claudia Wasilewski (UM) 6-3, 6-1
6. Michelle Sulahian (MICH) def. No player (UM), by default
Order of finish: 3, 5, 1, 2, 4*
Doubles
1. #3 Gabriela Mejia/Laura Vallverdu (UM) def. Denise Muresan/Tania Mahtani (MICH) 8-6
2. Whitney Taney/Rika Tatsuno (MICH) def. Anna Bartenstein/Bianca Eichkorn (UM) 8-1
3. Michelle Sulahian/Mimi Nguyen (MICH) def. Danielle Mills/Claudia Wasilewski (UM) 8-2
Order of finish: 3, 2*, 1
