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March 29, 2008
CORAL GABLES, Fla. - With the score tied 3-3, sophomore Claudia Wasilewski picked up a close 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 win to lead the No. 14 University of Miami women's tennis team past No. 6 Duke Friday night, 4-3, at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center. Wasilewski, after dropping the first set to Jessi Robinson in the No. 6 spot, was able to rally to take the second set before eventually prevailing late in the third to secure the win for the Hurricanes.
"I am so proud of this team," head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews said. "They came together so big tonight and pulled off their biggest win of the season."
UM improves to 11-4 overall with the win and 4-2 in ACC play while Duke falls to 11-3 and 4-2 in league action. The `Canes, who have now won four of their last five, improved to 7-2 at home with the win over the Blue Devils.
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"The game ball goes to Wasilewski," Yaroshuk-Tews added. "She believed in herself to the bitter end and fought so hard for the fourth point. I couldn't be happier for how far she has come."
The Hurricanes earned their first three points with No. 21 Laura Vallverdu and No. 104 Bianca Eichkorn winning at No. 1 and No. 4 respectively in singles play after UM won the doubles point to open the match. Vallverdu won her 10th match in her last 11 tries in UM's No. 1 spot with a 7-6, 6-0 win over Tara Iyer and Eichkorn beat Melissa Mang, 7-6, 6-1.
The `Canes took the doubles point with win wins at No. 1 and No. 2. The No. 19 team of Vallverdu and Romy Farah knocked off the nation's third-ranked doubles team in Melissa Mang and Amanda Granson, 8-2, to put UM ahead early on. After Ella Nze and Reka Zsilinszka won the third position for Duke, Eichkorn and Caren Seenauth clinched the point with an 8-4 win at No. 2.
Miami will now face North Carolina Sunday at 12 p.m. UM's three seniors - Farah, Seenauth and Gina Sabatino - will be honored prior to Sunday's match against the Tar Heels as UM wraps up its regular season home schedule. All matches at the
No. 14
Singles
1. No. 21 Laura Vallverdu (UM) def. Tara Iyer (Duke), 7-6, 6-0
2. No. 14 Ellah Nze (Duke) def. No. 49 Michaela Kissell (UM), 6-7, 6-2, 6-0
3. No. 17 Reka Zsilinszka (Duke) def. No. 73 Romy Farah (UM), 6-1, 6-0
4. No. 104 Bianca Eichkorn (UM) def. Melissa Mang (Duke), 6-4, 6-3
5. Amanda Granson (Duke) def. Caren Seenauth (UM), 7-6, 6-1
6. Claudia Wasilewski (UM) def. Jessi Robinson (Duke), 4-6, 6-3, 7-5
Order of Finish: 3, 5, 4, 1, 2, 6*
Doubles
1. No. 19 Laura Vallverdu/Romy Farah (UM) def. No. 3 Melissa Mang/Amanda Granson (Duke), 8-2
2. Bianca Eichkorn/Caren Seenauth (UM) def. Tory Zawacki/Jessi Robinson (Duke), 8-4
3. Ellah Nze/Reka Zsilinszka (Duke) def. Claudia Wasilewski/Jenna Osborne (UM), 8-1
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2*
