Perez-Somarriba Reaches Main Draw Final in Orlando

By Alex Schwartz
HurricaneSports.com

Saturday Results | Friday Recap

ORLANDO, Fla. – The University of Miami women’s tennis team turned in another strong day of action Saturday at the USTA Fall Ranked Spotlight.

The Hurricanes went 5-3 in singles play at the USTA National Campus, including notching a pair of top-70 victories.

“We’re learning a lot about ourselves and our toughness as a unit,” Miami head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews said. “These matches are extremely high level in difficult conditions.”

Miami split its four singles matches to begin action Saturday morning. In the lone main draw contest, second-ranked and top-seeded Estela Perez-Somarriba registered a 6-2, 6-4 decision over Oklahoma State’s Bunywami Thamchaiwat, ranked No. 67 and seeded No. 9-16.

In consolation play, No. 80 Daevenia Achong resumed her winning ways, as the sophomore beat Tenika McGiffin of Tennessee, 6-2, 7-6 (7-5).

Meanwhile, freshman Selma Cadar fell to No. 49 Mia Horvit of South Carolina, 6-0, 6-2, and senior Yuna Ito turned in a stellar showing in a narrow defeat against No. 61 Kolie Allen of Ohio State, 6-2, 2-6, 0-1 (8-10).

In the next group of singles matches, Perez-Somarriba again registered a straight-set decision. This time, the senior cruised past UCF’s Marie Mattel, 6-2, 6-1, to reach the tournament final.

Achong dropped her consolation matchup with another foe from UCF, Nandini Sharma, in a 2-6, 4-6 result. Cadar got back on track by edging McGiffin in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4.

Ito also earned a victory, logging the fourth ranked win of her career and her second in as many days in Orlando. The Kanagawa, Japan, native earned her second top-60 triumph as a Hurricane by beating No. 59 Jaeda Daniel of NC State, 6-0, 6-4.

“Estela is relentless in her approach and the results indicate that,” Yaroshuk-Tews said. “Yuna, Daev and Selma have had moments of great tennis and then gone flat for a short time. We’re hoping to end tomorrow on a high note for everyone.”

Play resumes Sunday at 9 a.m., with Cadar and Ito meeting Thumchaiwat and Dariya Detkovskaya in the Flight C finale. No. 33 Achong and Perez-Somarriba will not play, as their opponent withdrew from competition.

In singles play at 10 a.m., Perez-Somarriba meets No. 79 Shiori Fukuda of Ohio State, seeded No. 9-16, for the tournament crown. At the same time, Achong meets Ohio State’s Allen, Cadar plays No. 85 Marlee Zein of Florida and Ito takes on No. 23 McCartney Kessler of Florida.

For more information on the USTA Fall Ranked Spotlight, including a live streaming link, click HERE.

To keep up with the University of Miami women’s tennis team on social media, follow @CanesWTennis on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

SATURDAY RESULTS

Singles Main Draw – Quarterfinals
No. 2 [1] Estela Perez-Somarriba (UM) def. No. 67 [9-16] Bunyawi Thamchaiwat (OKST), 6-2, 6-4

Singles Consolation North Draw – Quarterfinals
No. 80 [9-16] Daevenia Achong (UM) def. Tenika McGiffin (TN), 6-2, 7-6 (7-5)
No. 49 [5-8] Mia Horvit (SC) def. Selma Cadar (UM), 6-0, 6-2
No. 61 [5-8] Kolie Allen (OS) def. Yuna Ito (UM), 2-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-8)

Singles Main Draw – Semifinals
No. 2 [1] Estela Perez-Somarriba (UM) def. Marie Mattel (UCF), 6-2, 6-1

Singles Consolation North Draw – Semifinals
Nandini Sharma (UCF) def. No. 80 [9-16] Daevenia Achong (UM), 6-2, 6-4

Singles Consolation Northwest Draw – Semifinals
Selma Cadar (UM) def. Tenika McGiffin (TN), 6-4, 6-4
Yuna Ito (UM) def. No. 59 [5-8] Jaeda Daniel (NCST), 6-0, 6-4

SUNDAY SCHEDULE

Doubles Flight B – Main Draw Final
No. 33 Daevenia Achong/Estela Perez-Somarriba (UM) – BYE

Doubles Flight C – Main Draw Final
9 a.m.: Selma Cadar/Yuna Ito (UM) vs. Dariya Detkovskaya/Bunyawi Thamchaiwat (OKST)

Singles Main Draw – Final
10 a.m.: No. 2 [1] Estela Perez-Somarriba (UM) vs. No. 79 [9-16] Shiori Fukuda (OS)

Singles Consolation East-Northeast Draw
10 a.m.: No. 80 [9-16] Daevenia Achong (UM) vs. No. 61 [5-8] Kolie Allen (OS)

Singles Consolation
10 a.m.: Selma Cadar (UM) vs. No. 85 [9-16] Marlee Zein (UF)
10 a.m.: Yuna Ito (UM) vs. No. 23 [3] McCartney Kessler (UF)