@HurricaneTennis Shuts Out Orange on the Road
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The University of Miami women’s tennis team blanked Syracuse 7-0 Friday afternoon at the Drumlins Tennis Center in its third ACC match of the season.
The No. 14 Hurricanes have now won all three of the conference matches so far this season by a 7-0 margin.
“Team played well in real fast conditions today,” Miami head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews said. “We are doing a good job of making some minor changes that are paying huge dividends.”
Miami (7-2, 3-0 ACC) started the day splitting the first two doubles matches against No. 64 Syracuse (6-5, 1-4 ACC) at the Drumlins Tennis Center. The 17th-ranked pair of senior Monique Albuquerque and junior Clementina Riobueno fell to Syracuse’s top tandem of Amanda Rodgers and Nicole Mitchell 8-4.
Then the freshman duo of Sinead Lohan and Wendy Zhang won their match over Breanna Bachini and Rhiann Newborn 8-6.
The decisive third doubles match came down to a tiebreaker and it was Miami’s top pair of Stephanie Wagner and Lina Lileikite who came through for the team. Wagner and Lileikite, ranked seventh, won 8-7 (7-5) over Valeria Salazar and Komal Safdar to give the doubles point to the Hurricanes.
The Hurricanes looked dominant in singles competition, winning all six matches, including five in straight sets. Albuquerque got the first singles point with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Amanda Rodgers. Minutes later, No. 45 Lohan won in retirement after jumping all over Valeria Salazar, 6-2, 2-1 to start the match.
Miami clinched its victory against Syracuse with an impressive win by Yolimar Ogando. The freshman won her first career indoor match defeating Komal Safdar 6-1, 6-1.
“Albuquerque was off the court in 45 minutes, playing her cleanest match of the season so far,” Yaroshuk-Tews said. “Ogando also played really well and the Hurricane fire. She was vocal from beginning to end and her tennis followed.”
Although the result was decided, there were still matches to complete. No. 62 Riobueno won 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (10-5) over Breanna Bachini, and 10th-ranked Wagner battled past Amanda Rogers, 6-1, 7-6 (7-2). Finishing the day, No. 84 Lileikite won 6-4, 6-2 against Rhiann Newborn.
Thanks in part to the graciousness of the Syracuse women’s basketball team, the Hurricanes were able to participate in Friday’s contest against the Orange as regularly scheduled. Miami was initially left stranded in North Carolina due to inclement weather, but the Syracuse women’s basketball team offered to accommodate the Hurricanes on their charter flight back to New York from the ACC Tournament in Greensboro, N.C.
Without this gesture of sportsmanship, which represents the true essence of collegiate competition, Miami would not have gotten to Syracuse in time for the match.
The Hurricanes travel to Chestnut Hill, Mass. this Sunday to take on the No. 45 Boston College Eagles Sunday, March 8 at 11:00 a.m.
For more information on University of Miami women’s tennis, follow @HurricaneTennis.
RESULTS
Singles Competition
1. No. 10 Stephanie Wagner (Miami) def. Amanda Rodgers (SU), 6-1, 7-6 (7-2)
2. No 45 Sinead Lohan (Miami) def. Valeria Salazar (SU), 6-2, 2-1, retired
3. No. 84 Lina Lileikite (Miami) def. Rhiann Newborn (SU), 6-4, 6-2
4. No. 62 Clementina Riobueno (Miami) def. Breanna Bachini (SU), 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (10-5)
5. Yolimar Ogando (Miami) def. Komal Safdar (SU), 6-1, 6-1
6. Monique Albuquerque (Miami) def. Nicole Mitchell (SU), 6-1, 6-0
Doubles Competition
1. No. 7 Lina Lileikite/Stephanie Wagner (Miami) def. Valeria Salazar/Komal Safdar (SU) 8-7, (7-5)
2. Amanda Rodgers/Nicole Mitchell (SU) def. No. 17 Monique Albuquerque/Clementina Riobueno (Miami), 8-4
3. Sinead Lohan/Wendy Zhang (Miami) def. Breanna Bachini/Rhiann Newborn (SU), 8-6
