Miami Opens Season With 7-0 Sweep

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami women’s tennis team started the season off with a dominant 7-0 sweep against FIU Thursday afternoon.

The match kicked off in doubles, where Miami claimed the opening point. FIU started strong, with Kristyna Hranacova and Valery Gynina taking court three over Antonia Balzert and Audrey Boch-Collins, 6-2.

Miami answered with a top-court 6-3 win from Alexa Noel and Xinyi Nong against Oyinlomo Quadre and Ekaterina Khairutdinova. To clinch the doubles point, Isabella Pfennig and Leonie Schuknecht secured the 7-5 court-two win over Katerina Mandelikova and Salma Loudili.

Going into singles with the advantage, the Hurricanes showed dominance on every court for the first set. No. 90 Isabella Pfennig took the first win on court two over Khairutdinova, 6-2, 6-0. At the top court, No. 25 Alexa Noel claimed the ranked win over No. 104 Quadre, 6-1, 6-3.

Audrey Boch-Collins, ranked No. 81, clinched the match with a 6-2, 6-4 win against Hranacova on court six. The match continued to play out, with Antonia Balzert taking the hard-fought 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 win over Gynina on court three.

Finishing out the sweep, Xinyi Nong secured the court-five win, 6-1, 3-6, 7-5, over Loudili and Leonie Schuknecht took down Mandelikova at the No. 4 spot, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.

The Hurricanes are back in action for ITA Kickoff Weekend in Knoxville, Tenn., facing USC on Jan. 26.

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