Miami Women's Tennis Advancing to ITA Kick-Off Championship

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The 11th-ranked and top-seeded University of Miami women’s tennis team advanced into the championship match of the ITA Kick-Off Weekend after a 5-2 win over FIU Saturday at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center. The `Canes came away victorious after a hard-fought doubles point set up three quick wins from freshmen Brittany Dubins and Melissa Bolivar and junior Gabriela Mejia.

The Hurricanes (2-0) will now play Sunday at 2 p.m. against No. 21 Arizona State, who defeated No. 22 South Carolina earlier on Saturday to advance.

Dubins quickly gave Miami a 2-0 lead after the `Canes won the doubles point with an easy 6-0, 6-0 win over Giulietta Boha in the No. 6 singles position. Mejia and Bolivar followed that up with dominating wins of their own, as Mejia took down Maria Spenceley, 6-1, 6-1 at No. 5 before Bolivar beat Rita Maisak at No. 4, 6-2, 6-1.

The tournament’s top-ranked player – 16th-ranked Bianca Eichkorn – then made it 5-0 UM with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Christine Seredni in the No. 1 singles spot.

“Overall we did a good job of figuring things out today but we can’t let opportunities slip away from us,” head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews said. “We need to come out tomorrow and be ready to dictate play against ASU. We’ll see who is willing to step up first.”

Before singles got underway, the `Canes were victorious at the No. 1 and No. 2 doubles positions, with the 46th-ranked tandem of Eichkorn and Anna Bartenstein cruising to an 8-1 win over Brito and Spenceley at No. 1 before Mejia and Bolivar out-lasted Seredni and Boha at No. 2, 7-5. The `Canes trailed FIU at No. 3 doubles when Miami clinched the doubles point.

“I think FIU came out and played some aggressive doubles,” Yaroshuk-Tews said. “We didn’t do a good job of the setting the tone, especially at No. 3. We need to come out and play better doubles tomorrow.”

FIU’s two wins came at No. 2 and No. 3 singles, where Liset Brito downed Bartenstein, 7-5, 6-2 and Elizabeth Johnson edged out Danielle Mills, 2-6, 6-4, 10-8. The Panthers will now face South Carolina Sunday at 10 a.m. in the consolation match.

Admission is free for both matches on Sunday. Click HERE for live results throughout the weekend.