@HurricaneTennis Climbs to No. 14 in Rankings

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami women’s tennis team rose back into the top 15 of the ITA rankings, as released Tuesday afternoon.

The Hurricanes jumped six spots up to No. 14 in the nation after posting a 2-0 record last week to begin ACC play.

Miami (6-2, 2-0 ACC) defeated Wake Forest, then No. 53 and now No. 50, 7-0 Friday at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center to open up its ACC slate. The Hurricanes combined to lose just one set on the day against the Demon Deacons.

In a top 20 showdown Sunday in Coral Gables, Miami put forth a tremendous display of tennis and won 7-0 over Clemson, then No. 14 and now No. 15.

The duo of senior Lina Lileikite and junior Stephanie Wagner nearly knocked off the top-ranked doubles team in the country in the first position against Clemson, but Miami clinched the doubles point before their match finished. Lileikite and Wagner led 7-4 and were two points away from defeating Beatrice Gumulya and Jessy Rompies when play stopped.

Senior Monique Albuquerque and junior Clementina Riobueno both posted 4-0 records last week and Riobueno was named the ACC Player of the Week.

The Hurricanes are one of six ACC teams in the top 25, tied for of the most of any conference in the nation. Four of those half dozen teams check in among the top 15 teams on the ITA’s list. Both of Miami’s losses in 2015 are to teams that have been ranked No. 1 in the country.

Paige Yaroshuk-Tews’ team has been ranked in the top 15 all but one of the ITA’s weekly rankings this spring. Six of Miami’s eight dual matches have come against teams with a national ranking and the Hurricanes defeated four of them, three via shutout.

The Hurricanes continue ACC play in just three days when they travel to Syracuse, N.Y. to face the 67th-ranked Orange Friday, March 6 at 3:00 p.m.

For more information on University of Miami women’s tennis, follow @HurricaneTennis.