Feb. 2, 2008

Results

CORAL GABLES, Fla. - The 10th-ranked University of Miami women's tennis team improved to 2-0 on the season with a 6-1 win over Florida International Saturday afternoon at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center. After UM won the doubles point in a hard-fought battle in the No. 2 position, the Hurricanes were able to carry their momentum into singles play and pull away for their second consecutive commanding win.

"It wasn't the best match that we have played but we were able to pull through in tight situations when it counted," head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews said. "I was really excited however with the way our freshman stepped up and played today."

The win marked the Hurricanes' second straight victory over an in-state foe to open the season after UM beat Florida Atlantic, 7-0, in its season-opener last week.

After the two teams split the first two doubles matches with UM winning in the No. 3 spot and FIU taking the No. 1 battle, the freshman duo of Michaela Kissell and Jenna Osborne battled back and forth with Maria Dolores Pazo and Priscilla Castillo in the No. 2 position before winning a hard-fought, 9-8 (6), match to give UM the first point of the day and momentum heading into singles action.

"I saw some nice things with Michaela and Jenna," Yaroshuk-Tews said. "It got tight and it got ugly, but they played an aggressive game and kept their composure in a situation they hadn't been in before."

Once singles play began, Claudia Wasilewski won the second point of the afternoon for UM with a 6-2, 6-1 win in the No. 6 spot over Maria Spenceley before Bianca Eichkorn put the `Canes up, 3-0, with a convincing, 6-1, 6-1 win over Marijana Cutuk in the No. 4 position.

From there, UM need just one more win to clinch the victory and Kissell was able to come through again with a 6-3, 6-1 clincher in the No. 3 spot over Priscilla Castillo. In the No. 4 position, Caren Seenauth would go on to defeat Maria Jose Vallasciani, 6-2, 6-4 and Romy Farah took care of business in the No. 2 spot, pulling away to a 7-6 (5), 6-0 win over Egle Petrauskaite.

FIU's Liset Brito pulled off an upset in the No. 1 position, defeating No. 29 Laura Vallverdu, 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 in a competitive battle to close out the match.

The `Canes will now turn right around and face No. 30 Michigan Sunday morning at 10 a.m. at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center, where admission is free for all home matches.

Following Sunday's match against the Wolverines, UM will head to Madison, Wis. to participate in the 2008 USTA/ITA National Indoors, Feb. 8-10. The event, hosted by the University of Wisconsin, features 16 teams nationally, including 13 teams currently ranked in the ITA's Top 15.

No. 10 Miami 6, No. 31 FIU 1
Singles
1. Liset Brito (FIU) def. No. 29 Laura Vallverdu (UM), 6-3, 4-6, 6-1
2. Romy Farah (UM) def. Egle Petrauskaite (FIU), 7-6 (5), 6-1
3. Michaela Kissell (UM) def. Priscilla Castillo (FIU), 6-3, 6-1
4. Bianca Eichkorn (UM) def. Marijana Cutuk (FIU), 6-1, 6-1
5. Caren Seenauth (UM) def. Maria Jose Vallasciani (FIU), 6-2, 6-4
6. Claudia Wasilewski (UM) def. Maria Spenceley (FIU), 6-2, 6-1
Order of Finish: 6, 4, 3*, 5, 2, 1

Doubles
1. No. 17 Liset Brito/Egle Petrauskaite (FIU) def. Romy Farah/Laura Vallverdu (UM), 8-6
2. Michaela Kissell/Jenna Osborne (UM) def. Maria Dolores Pazo/Priscilla Castillo (FIU), 9-8 (6)
3. Bianca Eichkorn/Caren Seenauth (UM) def. Maria Jose Vallasciani/Maria Spenceley (FIU), 8-2
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2*