W. Tennis Tops USF, 5-2, in Home Opener

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami women’s tennis team defeated USF, 5-2, Wednesday in its first home match of the 2020-21 season.

No. 35 Miami (6-5, 3-3 ACC) earned the first four points of the match, quickly sealing the win, in its first outing at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center since Feb. 28, 2020.

“I think everybody was excited to be home,” Miami head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews said. “I honestly think, on a few courts, the balls looked a little flat coming off the strings. That’s kind of normal when you’re coming from indoors back to outdoors on a hot, windy day. But I think as matches went on, things improved a little bit.”

Second-year freshmen Diana Khodan and Maya Tahan notched the opening doubles victory by downing Grace Schumacher and Margriet Timmermans, 6-3.  Minutes later, the other two matches finished nearly simultaneously.

First, the Miami duo of fifth-year senior Estela Perez-Somarriba and freshman Isabella Pfennig closed out a 6-2 triumph over Amelie Boy and Alexandria Mjos, giving the Hurricanes the doubles point. Within seconds, USF (5-8, 0-0 AAC) won a match point on Court 3, as Grace Eland and Laura Pellicer edged third-year sophomore Daevenia Achong and second-year freshman Florencia Urrutia, 6-4.

Second-ranked Perez-Somarriba cruised on her way to logging Miami’s first singles win, as she notched a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Pellicer.

Pfennig, in her home debut, posted an unblemished first set and then held on in the second to make it a 3-0 advantage behind a 6-0, 6-4 triumph against Boy.

“Stela and Bella are leading the way at one and two,” Yaroshuk-Tews said. “Bella is just playing some clean tennis. She doesn’t look like a freshman out there. We’re constantly working on things, and she’s absorbing and implementing them. It’s nice to see.”

Urrutia provided the clinching point for the Hurricanes, running their winning streak to three in a row, when she wrapped up a 6-4, 6-1 decision over Eveleyne Tiron.

The remaining three matches were all played out, with the first result going to USF, as Schumacher beat No. 87 Achong, 6-3, 6-3. Tahan then posted a comeback win over Mjos, 3-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-8), to give Miami a 5-1 lead.

In the final contest, Timmermans narrowly defeated second-year freshman Nada Dimovska, 3-6, 7-5, 10- (10-7), to earn the Bulls’ second and final point.

With the victory, the Hurricanes upped their all-time series record against USF to 43-3, their most wins versus any foe, including 20-2 at home.

Miami continues its homestand Friday at noon when it welcomes No. 47 Notre Dame to the Neil Schiff Tennis Center.

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

RESULTS

Doubles Competition
1. Estela Perez-Somarriba/Isabella Pfennig (UM) def. Amelie Boy/Alexandria Mjos (USF), 6-2
2. Diana Khodan/Maya Tahan (UM) def. Grace Schumacher/Margriet Timmermans (USF), 6-3
3. Grace Eland/Laura Pellicer (USF) def. Daevenia Achong/Florencia Urrutia (UM), 6-4

Singles Competition
1. No. 2 Estela Perez-Somarriba (UM) def. Laura Pellicer (USF), 6-2, 6-1
2. Isabella Pfennig (UM) def. Amelie Boy (USF), 6-0, 6-4
3. Grace Schumacher (USF) def. No. 87 Daevenia Achong (UM), 6-3, 6-3
4. Florencia Urrutia (UM) def. Evelyne Tiron (USF), 6-4, 6-1
5. Maya Tahan (UM) def. Alexandria Mjos (USF), 3-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-8)
6. Margriet Timmermans (USF) def. Nada Dimovska (UM), 3-6, 7-5, 1-0 (10-7)