Hurricanes Women's Tennis Jumps to No. 16 in ITA Poll
March 2, 2010
Skillman, N.J. – After taking down No. 12 Clemson over the weekend, the University of Miami women’s tennis team leaped three spots to No. 16 in this week’s Campbell/ITA poll, announced Tuesday afternoon from the ITA headquarters in Skillman, N.J.
Miami (5-3, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) has defeated consecutive Top 15 opponents in its last two matches, extending back to the Hurricanes’ 5-2 triumph over then fourth-ranked Georgia as part of the ITA National Team Indoor Championships in Madison, Wis.
Three singles players made moves in this week’s ITA poll, including three-time All-American senior Laura Vallverdu – jumping to No. 4. Vallverdu, who sat tied for seventh the previous two weeks, defeated Clemson’s 18th-ranked Josipa Bek at the top flight position on Sat., Feb. 27 in Coral Gables. In fact, she has won three-straight matches against Top 50 opponents, turning in a 6-3, 6-3 decision over Chelsey Gullickson (No. 14) of Georgia in Madison, Wis. On the year, Vallverdu is 18-8 overall (6-2 dual).
“I think Laura is up there where she belongs, and she’s proven over time that she’s one of the best in the country,” commented UM head women’s coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews. “To enter that top five says a lot about the respect of her peers, and the respect that people have of her as a player.”
Also ranked this week for UM is junior All-American Bianca Eichkorn, leaping from No. 55 to No. 40. Eichkorn is the only Hurricanes performer unbeaten on the spring, sitting at 8-0. She is 13-4 overall on the 2009-10 season. She took down Clemson’s Keri Wong (No. 65) in her last outing, while winning nine consecutive matches overall for the Hurricanes – splitting between the No. 2 and 3 positions.
“I think that it’s nice to see Bianca acquire the ranking she’s gotten, and I know she wants to improve upon that,” stated Yaroshuk-Tews. “It’s been tough for her, battling back from an injury and post-surgery, but she’s done well, and is playing great tennis and proving she deserves the ranking she has right now.”
The only other player ranked in singles action for UM is sophomore Anna Bartenstein, moving from No. 89 all the way to No. 55 this week. The Tulane transfer has accumulated a record of 17-3 (the second-most wins on this year’s roster), and sits at 7-1 in the spring. Bartenstein claimed a 6-3, 6-2 decision over Clemson’s Ina Hadziselimovic in her last match, while winning four consecutive matches for the `Canes. Her only loss of the spring was a three-set defeat against Baylor’s 24th-ranked Nina Secerbegovic.
In the doubles poll, the `Canes duo of Gabriela Mejia and Vallverdu stayed put at No. 5, while the team of Bartenstein and Eichkorn debuted at No. 50. Together, Bartenstein and Eichkorn have posted a record of 9-3 on the year (5-1 dual).
One week after being replaced by North Carolina atop the Campbell/ITA College Tennis Rankings, Northwestern has regained the top spot, joining the Virginia men, who have been perched at No. 1 for the third-consecutive week, since capturing the ITA National Men’s Team Indoor title.
This is the point in the season when the Campbell/ITA College Tennis Rankings switch from a poll to a computer point-per-match formula, which causes several changes throughout the rankings.
Miami women’s tennis returns to the courts on Fri., Mar. 5, when conference foe Boston College visits the Neil Schiff Tennis Center at noon. Admission is free.
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.
