Miami Takes to the Road for Key ACC Matchups

March 23, 2012

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The 6th-ranked University of Miami women’s tennis team will be making a trip to North Carolina this weekend for a pair of key ACC matchups against Wake Forest and North Carolina State. The Wake Forest match is set for noon this Saturday at the Wake Forest Tennis Complex and on Sunday the Canes will make their way to the J.W. Isenhower Tennis Center for a 1 p.m. start time against the Wolfpack.

The Hurricanes are playing excellent tennis, as is noted by their most recent jump from No. 12 to No. 6 in the ITA rankings. Having won their last 10 straight matches, 9 of those against ranked opponents, this ranking is well deserved.

The unranked Demon Deacons have been struggling this season, with an overall record of 3-9 (0-3 ACC).  Their lineup does however feature the No. 74 singles player in the country, Kayla Duncan who has posted four wins against ranked opponents this season.  If Anna Bartenstein can top her at No. 1 singles, it will make for her sixth win against a ranked opponent this spring.

The also unranked Wolfpack currently sits 5-9 on the season, including a 1-2 ACC record. NC State’s sole ranked player, sophomore Joelle Kissell, owns a 9-5 record this season, and is ranked No. 60 in the most recent ITA poll. Like Wake’s Duncan, Kissell has defeated four ranked opponents this year at the No. 1 position.

Last season Miami played both teams back-to-back as they will this weekend, with UM defeating both Wake Forest and NC State, 6-1 and 5-2 respectively. 

The Hurricanes have never tasted defeat against either opponent since joining the Atlantic Coast Conference back in 2004.