Feb. 20, 2011
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The ninth-ranked University of Miami women’s tennis team closed out its weekend at the ITA National Women’s Team Indoor Championship with a 4-1 win over 11th-ranked Tennessee Sunday at the Boar’s Head Sports Club.
Miami (6-2) opened the match by breaking Tennessee’s (6-3) 15-match doubles winning streak to go up 1-0. From there, the `Canes and Vols split the first two singles positions with 10th-ranked Bianca Eichkorn winning a 6-2, 6-0 decision over 39th-ranked Natalie Pluskota at No. 1 before Rosalia Alda beat 63rd-ranked Anna Bartenstein, 6-3, 6-2 to make it 2-1 Miami.
The Hurricanes then needed to at least split the remaining four singles spots and they quickly did just that, coming up victorious at No. 6 and No. 4 to secure the 4-1 win.
The win came after back-to-back competitive losses to No. 2 Florida and No. 7 UCLA.
“With the way we played the last three days, I have no doubt that we are a better team moving forward than we were coming in,” head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews said. “I’m happy with the way we competed and I’m proud of the way our girls showed up at this tournament.”
Gabriela Mejia – ranked 115th by the ITA – put the `Canes up 3-1 with a 7-5, 6-3 win at No. 4 before Bistra Otashliyska put the match away with a 7-6, 6-1 win over Whitney Wofford in the No. 6 spot.
When play was halted after the `Canes had clinched the victory,Danielle Mills held a slight 6-2, 5-6 lead over Kata Szekely at No. 4 and Melissa Bolivar trailed Millie Nichols, 3-6, 6-6.
For the second straight day, Miami opened its match winning the doubles point. The Volunteers won the No. 3 position but Miami rallied with an 8-4 win at No. 1 and a tight 9-8 win at No. 2 to take the early lead.
The Hurricanes will return to the courts next weekend when they play host to UCF on Sunday, Feb. 27 at 11 a.m. at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center.
For more information regarding the 2011 ITA National Women’s Team Indoor Championship, visit www.ITATennis.com. For additional coverage of UM’s women’s tennis team, visit www.TheUTennis.com.
No. 9 Miami 4, No. 11 Tennessee 1
Singles
1. No. 10 Bianca Eickhorn (UM) def. No. 39 Natalie Pluskota (TENN), 6-2, 6-0
2. Rosalia Alda (UT) def. #63 Anna Bartenstein (UM), 6-3, 6-2
3. Danielle Mills (UM) vs. Kata Szekely (UT), 6-2, 5-7, 0-0, unfinished
4. #115 Gabriela Mejia (UM) def. Maria Sorbello (UT), 7-5, 6-3
5. Melissa Bolivar (UM) vs. Millie Nichols (UT), 3-6, 6-6, unfinished
6. Bistra Otashliyska (UM) def. Whitney Wofford (UT), 7-6, 6-1
Order of finish: 1,2,6,4
Doubles
1. No. 42 Bianca Eickhorn/Anna Bartenstein (UM) def. No. 48 Natalie Pluskota/Millie Nichols (UT), 8-4
2. Melissa Bolivar/Gabriela Mejia (UM) def. Rosalia Alda/Maria Sorbello (UT), 9-8 (7-4)
3. Kata Szekely/Jennifer Meredith (UT) def. Brittany Dubins/Kayla Rizzolo (UM), 8-3
Order of finish: 3, 1, 2