Day One of Miami Invite in the Books
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Seven members of the University of Miami women’s tennis team competed in the first day of the Miami Invite – the team’s only home fall tournament – at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center on Friday.
The seven Hurricanes went 6-1 in singles action on the day.
“It was fun seeing this bunch competing at home for the first time this season,” Miami head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews said. “I was happy to see the team implementing aspects of our practices into match situations.”
In her Green Bracket match, Melissa Bolivar was aggressive from the start and never let up in her 6-2, 6-2 win over fellow ACC foe, Welma Luus of Maryland.
After many of the Canes played in matches all over the country to open the fall, Bolivar said, “It’s always nice to play at home. It’s nice to sleep in our own beds and keep our routine.”
Newcomer Deborah Suarez and Stephanie Wagner competed for the first time collegiately. Suarez came away with a 7-6 (6), 6-3 victory. Wagner battled in her match but fell in three sets, 6-1, 1-6, 4-6.
Other straight set winners for the Canes were Brittany Dubins (7-5, 6-1), Lina Lileikite (6-1, 6-2) and Kelsey Laurente (6-0, 6-2).
Nicolle Stracar, a junior transfer from Long Island, dropped her first set to Florida Gulf Coast’s Elizabeth Means, but battled back in the second and third sets for the 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 win.
Hurricane doubles teams finished the day with a 5-2 record and two of the four squads will be competing Saturday in a championship match.
Juniors Dubins and Stracar teamed up for two wins over squads from Barry (8-1) and USF (8-4) and will face the North Florida squad of Lorena Aviles and Melanie Aguirre.
The Bolivar/Suarez pair also cruised to victories over teams from Barry (8-5) and USF (8-1) and will face the independent duo of Elisabeth Abanda and Emma Onila, who defeated UM’s duo of Lileikite and Wagner in the semifinal, in the Orange Bracket final.
Doubles once again will open play at 8 a.m. on Saturday, followed by quarterfinal and semifinal singles rounds immediately after.
Individuals from visiting Maryland, Florida Gulf Coast, North Florida, South Florida and Barry are competing in the Miami Invite.
