W. Tennis Defeats Clemson, 6-1
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami women’s tennis team earned an impressive 6-1 victory Sunday afternoon against Clemson at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center.
No. 15 Miami (7-1, 2-0 ACC) dropped just two sets all day and took each of the first five points of the match, en route to a fifth consecutive triumph.
“I saw us making some changes from Friday night that we needed to make,” Miami head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews said. “We’re staying really calm in pressure situations. Whenever you have any ACC match, it’s a pressure situation. And I just think that the girls are staying calm and being coachable. They’re talking on changeovers, they’re making adjustments and they’re being super mature.”
The Hurricanes turned in a quality showing in doubles to take the opening point. First, third-year sophomores Diana Khodan and Maya Tahan, ranked No. 38, tallied a 6-2 victory over Eleni Louka and Jenna Thompson.
Minutes later, the Hurricanes’ No. 40-ranked duo of fourth-year junior Daevenia Achong and fifth-year senior Eden Richardson finished off a 6-3 decision against Cristina Mayorova and Daniella Medvedeva to clinch the 1-0 lead.
In the unfinished match, sophomores Audrey Boch-Collins and Isabella Pfennig were tied with Samantha Buyckx and Ali DeSpain at 4-4 after dropping the first three games.
Khodan speedily doubled Miami’s lead in singles play, tallying a dominant 6-1, 6-0 result versus Buyckx before others even started their second set.
No. 67 Achong extended the advantage to 3-0 by defeating No. 123 Louka, 6-3, 6-0, in one of the day’s two ranked matchups. Tahan then clinched the Hurricanes’ win by downing DeSpain, 6-0, 6-3.
The remaining contests were all played out, with the first to finish going to Miami, as Boch-Collins defeated Medvedeva, 6-2, 6-3. Moments later, Clemson earned its lone point behind a 6-4, 6-4 decision from Thompson against No. 85 Pfennig.
In another ranked showdown, No. 81 Richardson won a pair of tiebreakers against No. 109 Mayorova to come away with a 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-2) result and give the Hurricanes a 6-1 final margin.
“I’m really happy with Eden. For her to get this victory [is great. It was a] tough victory, six and six,” Yaroshuk-Tews said. “She was a little upset after her match Friday night. She has been playing some tight matches and has not been coming out on the right end of them. We had a good conversation Saturday. She came out here and she played with a clear head. This is the one I really wanted to get today, was Court 1.”
Its four-match homestand now complete, Miami resumes play Friday at 5 p.m. against No. 18 Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, N.C.
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. No. 40 Daevenia Achong/Eden Richardson (UM) def. Cristina Mayorova/Daniella Medvedeva (CU), 6-3
2. No. 38 Diana Khodan/Maya Tahan (UM) def. Eleni Louka/Jenna Thompson (CU), 6-2
3. Audrey Boch-Collins/Isabella Pfennig (UM) vs. Samantha Buyckx/Ali DeSpain (CU), 4-4, unf.
Singles Competition
1. No. 81 Eden Richardson (UM) def. No. 109 Cristina Mayorova (CU), 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-2)
2. No. 67 Daevenia Achong (UM) def. No. 123 Eleni Louka (CU), 6-3, 6-0
3. Jenna Thompson (CU) def. No. 85 Isabella Pfennig (UM), 6-4, 6-4
4. Audrey Boch-Collins (UM) def. Daniella Medvedeva (CU), 6-2, 6-3
5. Maya Tahan (UM) def. Ali DeSpain (CU), 6-0, 6-3
6. Diana Khodan (UM) def. Samantha Buyckx (CU), 6-1, 6-0
