4 Top-Ranked Teams to Compete @ Spring Invite

CORALGABLES, Fla.  – The ninth-ranked University of Miami women’stennis team will play host to No. 11 Texas, No. 14 Texas A&M and No. 26Vanderbilt in the Miami Spring Invite, held this Friday through Sunday at theNeil Schiff Tennis Center.

The invite is the premier tournament of theearly season and the Canes are excited to be a part of it.

“As a program we are fired up to competeagainst these top teams in country in three consecutive days,” said Miami headcoach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews. “This weekend is going to tell us a lot about ourteam and a lot about us as individuals.

“This is the type of competition we need toplay early in our season in order to improve later in the year.”

As a team, the Hurricanes have earned twovery impressive wins to start the season. Miami opened the year on the road atnearby FAU, defeating the Owls, 7-0. Two days later on Jan. 13, UM welcomed No.24 Illinois to the Neil Schiff Tennis Center and reeled-off another 7-0 win.

“I think the team is moving forward, as aunit, really well,” Yaroshuk-Tews said. It’s something that we’re reallyfocusing on and we’re seeing the girls working together, they’re pushing oneanother and the freshmen are really stepping up.”

HURRICANEFACTS

• TheCanes’ 2013 spring roster features five freshmen and no seniors. New to theprogram this season are, Monique Albuquerque, Kelsey Laurente, ClementinaRiobueno, Deborah Suarez and Stefanie Wagner.
• Of the16 ranked opponents on Miami’s schedule, 10 ended last season among the Top 25and three among the Top 10. In addition to having one of the deepest conferenceschedules in the nation, UM will face at least 10 ranked non-conference foes.
• AgainstFAU in the season opener on Jan. 11, Miami won 7-0. However, the Canes didn’t evendrop a set in either doubles or singles.
• TheHurricanes have advanced to the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals (Elite Eight) ineach of the last four seasons.

MIAMISPRING INVITE FORMAT OF PLAY
There will be no team scoring atthis weekend’s event, as everyone is competing as an individual.

Each team will play three rounds of doublesand three rounds of singles. There will be eight flights in singles and fourflights in doubles. Each day will consist of eight doubles matches and 16singles matches. The third set will be played to completion in singles. Pointswill be allotted for each win based on the following decreasing point value todetermine the champion (singles and doubles) at the end of the weekend.

Win at No. 1 position — 8 points
Win at No. 2 position — 7 points
Win at No. 3 position — 6 points
Win at No. 4 position — 5 points
Win at No. 5 position — 4 points
Win at No. 6 position — 3 points
Win at No. 7 position — 2 points
Win at No. 8 position — 1 point

MIAMISPRING INVITE SCHEDULE OF PLAY
Friday, Jan. 18
9 a.m. Courts 1-4 – Doubles – Miamivs. Texas | Singles to follow – Miami vs. Vanderbilt
9 a.m. Courts 5-8 – Doubles – Texas A&M vs. Vanderbilt | Singles to follow -Texas vs. Texas A&M

Saturday,Jan. 19
9 a.m. Courts 1-4 – Doubles – Miamivs. Vanderbilt | Singles to follow – Miami vs. Texas A&M
9 a.m. Courts 5-8 – Doubles – Texas A&M vs. Texas | Singles to follow – Texasvs. Vanderbilt

Sunday,Jan. 20
9 a.m. Courts 1-4 – Doubles – Miamivs. Texas A&M | Singles to follow – Miami vs. Texas
9 a.m. Courts 5-8 – Doubles – Texas vs. Vanderbilt | Singles to follow – Texas A&Mvs. Vanderbilt

UP NEXT 
ITA KICKOFF
Friday, Jan. 25 — vs. Hawaii (Neil Schiff Tennis Center), 10 a.m.
Saturday, Jan. 26 — vs. Arizona State or Oklahoma (Neil SchiffTennis Center), Time TBA