Canes Close Season-Opener At Fall Ranked Spotlight

CARY, N.C. – The University of Miami women’s tennis team began its 2023-24 campaign over the weekend at the Fall Ranked Spotlight at the Cary Tennis Park.

Five Hurricanes played in both singles and doubles, competing against foes from 12 different programs across the nation.

Between senior Isabella Pfennig, ranked No. 52 nationally, senior Leonie Schuknecht, No. 96, fifth-year senior Antonia Balzert, senior Audrey Boch-Collins and sophomore Xinyi Nong, the Canes collected 12 wins to open the season.

Pfennig was the first Cane to notch a top-10 victory with her dominant 6-3, 6-2 win over No. 9 Carol Lee 9 (Georgia Tech). She then went on to claim a 6-4, 6-4 win against No. 71 Annabelle Xu (Virginia). Pfennig also paired up with Balzert in doubles to defeat Elise Mills and Shahar Biran (South Carolina), 6-4.

When it came to singles action for Balzert, the fifth-year senior earned three wins. She kicked off the fall with a ranked win over No. 87 and No. 2-seed Alejandra Cruz (Georgia Tech), 6-3, 7-5. Following that, she won 6-2, 6-2, against UCF’s Grace Levelston and 7-5, 6-4 over Tennessee’s Leyla Britez Risso.

Newcomer Schuknecht started the season with a 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2 win against Britez Risso as well. In doubles, she partnered with Nong and took down Elza Tomase and Alana Wolfber (TENN) 7-6 (6) and Luciana Perry and Teah Chavez (Ohio State), 6-2.

Nong found her own success in singles in the round robin draw. She notched a 3-6, 6-2, 10-4 win over UCF’s Anique Kattenberg and a 6-1, 6-7 (4), 1-0 (10-8) win vs. South Carolina’s Misa Malkin.

Rounding out the weekend, Boch-Collins also walked away with a win over Emma Charney (USC), 6-3, 6-3.

Up next for Miami is an exhibition match vs. the USA Junior Fed Cup Team on Sept. 28, hosted on the University of Miami campus.

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

DOUBLES RESULTS

Doubles G Group – Round Robin
Isabella Pfennig/Antonia Balzert (UM) def. Elise Mills/Shahar Biran (SC), 6-4
Hibah Shaikh/Sara Ziodato (UVA) def. Isabella Pfennig/Antonia Balzert (UM), 7-5
Luciana Perry/Teah Chavez (OHST) def. Isabella Pfennig/Antonia Balzert (UM), 6-3

Doubles H Group – Round Robin
Xinyi Nong/Leonie Schuknecht (UM) def. Elza Tomase/Alana Wolfberg (TENN), 7-6 (6)
Xinyi Nong/Leonie Schuknecht (UM) def. Luciana Perry/Teah Chavez (OHST), 6-2
Hibah Shaikh/Sara Ziodato (UVA) def. Xinyi Nong/Leonie Schuknecht (UM), 6-4

ISABELLA PFENNIG RESULTS

Singles A-1 Draw – Main Draw Round of 32
No. 10 Amelia Rajecki (NCSU) def. No. 52 Isabella Pfennig (UM), 6-3, 6-2

Singles A-1 Draw – West Draw Round of 16
No. 70 Alana Wolfberg (TENN) def. No. 52 Isabella Pfennig (UM), 6-3, 5-7, 1-0 (11-9)

Singles A-1 Draw – South Draw Quarterfinals
No. 52 Isabella Pfennig (UM) def. No. 9 Carol Lee (GT), 6-3, 6-2

Singles A-1 Draw – East-Southeast Draw Finals
No. 52 Isabella Pfennig (UM) def. No. 71 Annabelle Xu (GT), 6-4, 6-4

LEONIE SCHUKNECHT RESULTS

Singles A-2 Draw – Main Draw Round of 32
No. 96 Leonie Schuknecht (UM) def. Leyla Britez Risso (TENN), 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2

Singles A-2 Draw – Main Draw Round of 16
Luciana Perry (OHST) def. No. 96 Leonie Schuknecht (UM), 6-4, 6-0

Singles A-2 Draw – North Draw Quarterfinals
Julia Garcia Ruiz (OU) def. No. 96 Leonie Schuknecht (UM), 6-2, 6-0

Singles A-2 Draw – Northwest Draw Semifinals
Gina Dittmann (NCSU) def. No. 96 Leonie Schuknecht (UM), 7-6 (4), 6-1

Singles A-2 Draw – Compass Draw Extra
Patricija Spaka (ASU) def. No. 96 Leonie Schuknecht (UM), 6-1, 4-6, 1-0 (10-6)

AUDREY BOCH-COLLINS RESULTS

Singles A-2 Draw – Main Draw Round of 32
Audrey Boch-Collins (UM) def. Emma Charney (USC), 6-3, 6-3

Singles A-2 Draw – Main Draw Round of 16
Shahar Biran (SC) def. Audrey Boch-Collins (UM), 5-7, 6-3, 6-1

Singles A-2 Draw – North Draw Quarterfinals
No. 3 Daria Smetannikov (TAMU) def. Audrey Boch-Collins (UM), 6-4, 6-1

Singles A-2 Draw – Northwest Draw Semifinals
Audrey Boch-Collins (UM) vs. Teah Chavez (OHST), w/0 by Chavez

Singles A-2 Draw – Northwest Draw Finals
Gina Dittmann (NCSU) def. Audrey Boch-Collins (UM), 6-2, 5-7, 1-0 (10-7)

ANTONIA BALZERT RESULTS

Singles A-2 Draw – Main Draw Round of 32
Antonia Balzert (UM) def. No. 87 [No. 2-seed] Alejandra Cruz (GT), 6-3, 7-5

Singles A-2 Draw – Main Draw Round of 16
Melodie Collard (UVA) def. Antonia Balzert (UM), 6-4, 6-4

Singles A-2 Draw – North Draw Quarterfinals
Nicole Rivkin (UT) def. Antonia Balzert (UM), 6-7 (6), 6-2, 1-0 (10-5)

Singles A-2 Draw – Southeast Draw Semifinals
Antonia Balzert (UM) vs. Grace Levelston (UCF), 6-2, 6-2

Singles A-2 Draw – Southeast Draw Finals
Antonia Balzert (UM) def. Leyla Britez Risso (TENN), 7-5, 6-4

XINYI NONG RESULTS

Singles Round-Robin
Xinyi Nong (UM) def. Anique Kattenberg (UCF), 3-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-4)
Xinyi Nong (UM) def. Misa Malkin (SC), 6-1, 6-7 (4), 1-0 (10-8)
Gabriella Broadfoot (NCSU) def. Xinyi Nong (UM), 6-3, 7-6 (4)
Patricija Spaka (ASU) def. Xinyi Nong (UM), 5-7, 6-2, 1-0 (10-3)