Michigan
Michigan State
U-M's Series Dominance Against Spartans Interrupted
3/28/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's tennis team had its 14-match series win streak against Michigan State snapped Thursday night (March 28) with a 4-3 road loss at the MSU Tennis Facility. The Wolverines (7-7, 1-4 Big Ten) also saw their three-match winning streak come to an end, losing four of the six singles matches against the Spartans (10-7, 2-3 Big Ten) after winning the doubles point.
U-M gained an early 1-0 advantage in the match, winning two of the three doubles matches to secure the team point. Sophomores Chrissie Nolan (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South HS) and Kavitha Tipirneni (Galloway, Ohio/Hillard Darby HS) posted an 8-2 victory over sa Lidn and Trine Lise Juliussen at No. 3, giving the Wolverine doubles pair their 10th victory of the season (10-3). Michigan secured the team point as freshmen Michelle DaCosta (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne HS) and Leanne Rutherford (Calgary, Alberta/National Sports School) won an 8-4 match against Keri Thompson and Mandy Caldemeyer at No. 1.
The Spartans rallied for their first victory against the Wolverines since the 1987-88 season, gaining a straight-set victory from Lidn at No. 2 singles and wins in all three matches that went to three sets. Dora Vastag clinched the come-from-behind victory with a 7-6(6), 5-7, 6-3 win over Tipirneni at No. 1. The Spartans' other three-set wins came after dropping the opening set, with Caroline Lay winning a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 match against Nolan at No. 3 and Thompson posting a 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over junior Joanne Musgrove (LaSalle, Ontario/Sandwich HS) at No. 5. Michigan gained its victories as Rutherford registered a 7-5, 6-1 victory against Caldemeyer at No. 4 and Kim Plaushines (Oconomowoc, Wis./Kettle Moraine HS) tallied a 6-3, 6-1 win over Kate Thomas at No. 6.
The Wolverines travel to Winston-Salem, N.C., for a match against No. 2-ranked Wake Forest Easter Sunday (March 31, noon) at the Leighton Tennis Center.
Following are match-by-match results:
Singles
No. 1 -- Dora Vastag (MSU) def. Kavitha Tipirneni, 7-6(6), 5-7, 6-3
No. 2 -- sa Lidn (MSU) def. Michelle DaCosta, 6-3, 6-3
No. 3 -- Caroline Lay (MSU) def. Chrissie Nolan, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
No. 4 -- Leanne Rutherford (U-M) def. Mandy Caldemeyer, 7-5, 6-1
No. 5 -- Keri Thompson (MSU) def. Joanne Musgrove, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4
No. 6 -- Kim Plaushines (U-M) def. Kate Thomas, 6-3, 6-1
Doubles
No. 1 -- DaCosta/Rutherford (U-M) def. Thompson/Caldemeyer, 8-4
No. 2 -- Lay/Vastag (MSU) vs. Plaushines/Vaughn (U-M) -- abandoned
No. 3 -- Nolan/Tipirneni (U-M) def. Lidn/Trine Lise Juliussen, 8-2
Contact: David Ablauf (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
