Miami and Duke Set For Top 5 Battle in Coral Gables

Live Results for Friday’s Match l Free BBQ

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The fifth-ranked University of Miami women’s tennis team will wrap up its 2011 regular season when it hosts No. 3 Duke in a battle for conference supremacy Friday at 5 p.m. at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center.

Miami (17-4, 9-1 ACC) currently sits a half a match back of first place Duke (20-2, 9-0 ACC) in the Atlantic Coast Conference standings. The Blue Devils will wrap up their regular season at Florida State on Sunday.

“Both teams have been playing great tennis all season long and I expect the same on Friday,” head coach Paige Yarsoshuk-Tews said. “Our team is really excited for this match and the challenge ahead.”

The Blue Devils come in having won 12 straight matches with their last lost coming in a 4-1 defeat at the hands of No. 2 Florida on Feb. 13. The Hurricanes have won six straight matches and 12 of their last 14, with close losses to No. 9 Baylor and No. 6 North Carolina as their only two blemishes since the middle of February.

Friday’s match has also been designated “Senior Day” for Miami, as sixth-ranked Bianca Eichkorn will be honored in her final home regular season match. Eichkorn, who is 30-6 overall, 19-2 in dual match play and a perfect 10-0 in ACC play, has a chance to tie the school record for singles victories if she is able to win at No. 1 against 38th-ranked Nadine Fahoum. Eichkorn’s former teammate Laura Vallverdu has the current record of 131 wins.

The other big singles battle to watch will be Miami’s 45th-ranked Anna Bartenstein versus Duke’s 80th-ranked Ellah Nze at No. 2 singles.

“This is what college athletics is all about,” Yaroshuk-Tews said. “Two great teams coming together on a Friday night for what will definitely be a competitive tennis match.”

The match will mark Miami’s 18th against a ranked opponent this year and fifth straight against an opponent ranked inside the Top 50.

Play will get underway at 5 p.m. with doubles action on Courts 1, 2 and 3.

“I think the girls are in a great spot mentally, I think they are very confident and I think they are ready for the challenge.”

Admission to the match is free to the public. Barbeque will be served to those in attendance on a first-come, first serve basis.

Following Friday’s match, Miami will begin preparation for next week’s ACC Championship, which will held at the Cary Tennis Park beginning Thursday, April 21.

For additional coverage of the UM women’s tennis team, visit TheUTennis.com.