Pfennig Splits Two Top-30 Matches at ITA All-Americans

MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – Isabella Pfennig of the University of Miami women’s tennis team competed this week at the ITA Women’s All-American Championships by LTP.

Playing in one of the top tournaments of the year, Pfennig went 1-1 against a pair of top-30 opponents at LTP Tennis Club.

“Bella leaves All-Americans not only with a great win and confidence under her belt, but also playing tennis that is closer to her best version,” Miami associate head coach Alex Santos said. “Rarely at this level does it not come down to details, but Bella has the drive and the passion to relentlessly work on them.”

In her first matchup of the tournament, Pfennig took an opponent, No. 29 Ayana Akli of South Carolina, who earned a spot in the field through qualifying. Action started over seven hours late due to lengthy rain delays and did not begin until approximately 8:45 p.m. Wednesday night.

After winning three straight matches to get into the main draw, Akli’s run came to a sudden halt against Pfennig. The Miami sophomore dropped just five games in an impressive 6-3, 6-2 victory, tallying the third top-30 triumph of her young career.

Pfennig resumed play Thursday morning against the highest-ranked opponent of her career, fifth-ranked Georgia Drummy of Duke. Facing the tournament’s third overall seed, Pfennig forced a first-set tiebreaker and grabbed a 6-4 lead in it, but Drummy battled back to take the opener, 7-6 (10-8).

The second set also went to a tiebreaker, but this time Pfennig came out on top, sealing it on her first set point to force a split with a 7-6 (7-5) decision. Nonetheless, she could not claw all the way back, as Drummy jumped out to a 5-0 lead in set three, en route to a 7-6 (10-8), 6-7 (5-7), 6-2 win.

While Pfennig’s week is complete, six Hurricanes resume play Friday through Sunday in Nashville, Tenn. There, they join competitors from Illinois, Iowa State, Kentucky and Vanderbilt for the June Stewart Invitational.

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

WEDNESDAY RESULT

Main Draw – Round of 32
No. 16 Isabella Pfennig (UM) def. No. 29 Ayana Akli (SC), 6-3, 6-2

THURSDAY RESULT

Main Draw – Round of 16
No. 5 [3] Georgia Drummy (DU) def. No. 16 Isabella Pfennig (UM), 7-6 (10-8), 6-7 (5-7), 6-2