UM 12-1 on Day Two of USTA Clay Court Invite
ORLANDO, Fla. – It was nearly a clean sweep for the University of Miami women’s tennis team on Friday at the USTA Clay Court Invitational. Eight Hurricanes combined to play in 13 matches and UM ended the day with 12 victories.
No. 18 Stephanie Wagner, the No. 1 seed in the A Draw, defeated North Carolina’s Marika Akkerman, 6-1, 6-3 to advance to the quarterfinals. Once there, the junior had a tough match against No. 8 seed Olaya Garrido-Rivas of USF, dropping the first set before coming back to win in three sets, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.
“Wagner played with a ton of heart today,” head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews said. “Not great tennis, but found a way.”
Senior Lina Lileikite, ranked No. 71, also won a pair of matches in the A Draw. The No. 2 seed in the draw, Lileikite began with a 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory of Northwestern’s Manon Peri in the round of 16. She then dominated her quarterfinal match against Cassandra Vazquez of North Carolina, winning 6-1, 6-0.
Wagner and Lileikite are onto Saturday’s A Draw semifinals at 8:00 a.m. and both will take on Clemson Tigers. Wagner set to play the No. 5 seed, No. 95 Tristen Dewar of Clemson, and Lileikite is scheduled to face Joana Eidukonyte.
In the B Draw, No. 3-4 seed Wendy Zhang opened her day with an impressive 6-0, 6-1 victory against Clare Mendell of UCF. Zhang then went on to defeat Northwestern’s Lon Sze Leung, 6-3, 6-3.
“Zhang has been staying super disciplined and it’s showing in her tennis,” Yaroshuk-Tews said of the freshman.
Sinead Lohan also won a pair of matches on Friday, starting with a superb showing against UCF’s Kennan Johnson for a 6-1, 6-1 victory. The freshman knocked off Christie Brigante of Oklahoma, 6-2, 6-2 in the quarterfinals.
Zhang and Lohan will both play in the B Draw semifinals Saturday at 8:00 a.m. Zhang’s match is against the top seed, No. 79 Yukako Noi of Florida State, while Lohan will play No. 3-4 seed Emily Fanning, also of Florida State.
B Draw No. 5-8 seed Clementina Riobueno split her matches on Friday. In her first outing, she defeated Jillian Rooney of Northwestern, 6-3, 6-1. The junior then suffered a narrow defeat against the aforementioned Emily Fanning of Florida State. Riobueno twice forced Fanning to win seven games in a set, falling 7-6 (6), 7-5.
In the C Draw, freshman Silvia Fuentes won her quarterfinal match 6-3, 6-0 against Stetson’s Maja Salibasic. Fuentes, the No. 1 seed, will take on another Stetson Hatter, No. 3-4 seed Eveline Lepinay, in the semifinals Saturday at 8:00 a.m.
Two Hurricanes played in consolation matches on Friday and they were both victorious. In the A Consolation Draw, No. 111 senior Monique Albuquerque, the No. 6 seed, defeated Abbi Melrose of Oklahoma, 6-4, 6-3. Freshman Judith Bohnenkamp moved to the B Consolation Draw and came away with a tough 5-7, 6-3, 1-0 (9) win against USF’s Jessica Cortes Chaves.
“Judith is improving so much. Today her tennis improved with the match,” Yaroshuk-Tews said. “Happy to see her hard work is paying off.”
Albuquerque and Bohnenkamp will both play another match on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. Albuquerque is set to face Olga Martinez of USF and Bohnenkamp will take on Clemson’s Keisha Clousing.
Action from the tournament is being broadcast on ESPN3.com and the WatchESPN app.
For the latest news and notes from Miami women’s tennis, follow @HurricaneTennis on Twitter.
FRIDAY RESULTS
A Draw—Round of 16
No. 18 [1] Stephanie Wagner def. Marika Akkerman (North Carolina), 6-1, 6-3
No. 71 [2] Lina Lileikite def. Manon Peri (Northwestern), 1-6, 6-4, 6-4
A Draw—Quarterfinals
No. 18 [1] Stephanie Wagner def. [8] Olaya Garrido-Rivas (USF), 3-6, 7-5, 6-3
No. 71 [2] Lina Lileikite def. Cassandra Vazquez (North Carolina), 6-1, 6-0
A Consolation Draw
No. 111 [6] Monique Albuquerque def. Abbi Melrose (Oklahoma), 6-4, 6-3
B Draw—Round of 16
[3-4] Wendy Zhang def. Clare Mendell (UCF), 6-0, 6-1
[5-8] Clementina Riobueno def. Jillian Rooney (Northwestern), 6-3, 6-1
Sinead Lohan def. Kennan Johnson (UCF), 6-1, 6-1
B Draw—Quarterfinals
[3-4] Wendy Zhang def. Lon Sze Leung (Northwestern), 6-3, 6-3
[3-4] Emily Fanning (Florida State) def. [5-8] Clementina Riobueno, 7-6 (6), 7-5
Sinead Lohan def. Christie Brigante (Oklahoma), 6-2, 6-2
B Consolation Draw
Judith Bohnenkamp def. Jessica Cortes Chaves (USF), 5-7, 6-3, 1-0 (9)
C Draw—Quarterfinals
[1] Silvia Fuentes def. Maja Salibasic (Stetson), 6-3, 6-0
SATURDAY SCHEDULE
A Draw—Semifinals
No. 18 [1] Stephanie Wagner vs. No. 95 [5] Tristen Dewar (Clemson) at 8:00 a.m.
No. 71 [2] Lina Lileikite vs. Joana Eidukonyte (Clemson) at 8:00 a.m.
A Consolation Draw
No. 111 [6] Monique Albuquerque vs. Olga Martinez (USF) at 9:30 a.m.
B Draw—Semifinals
[3-4] Wendy Zhang vs. No. 79 [1] Yukako Noi (Florida State) at 8:00 a.m.
Sinead Lohan vs. [3-4] Emily Fanning (Florida State) at 8:00 a.m.
B Consolation Draw
Judith Bohnenkamp vs. Keisha Clousing (Clemson) at 9:30 a.m.
C Draw—Semifinals
[1] Silvia Fuentes vs. [3-4] Eveline Lepinay (Stetson) at 8:00 a.m.
