Michigan Tops Minnesota in First Round of Big Ten Meet

Thursday, April 25

Bloomington, Ind.

12:30 PM CT

Michigan

Minnesota

Michigan Tops Minnesota in First Round of Big Ten Meet

4/25/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The University of Michigan women's tennis team began its run through the Big Ten Championship Thursday afternoon (April 25), defeating No. 11 seed Minnesota by a 4-1 score in the first round at the Indiana University Tennis Courts. The sixth-seeded Wolverines (13-9) won the doubles point and three singles matches to secure advancement to the quarterfinals.

Plaushines

Michigan won a pair of 8-2 victories to gain the team point in doubles. Junior Jen Duprez (Westhampton, N.Y./Westhampton Beach HS) and sophomore Kim Plaushines (Oconomowoc, Wis./Kettle Moraine HS) won 8-2 against Kelly Perry and Andrea Rose at No. 2 to get the ball rolling in the Wolverines' favor. Sophomores Chrissie Nolan (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South HS) and Kavitha Tipirneni (Galloway, Ohio/Hilliard Darby HS) clinched the point with an 8-2 win at No. 3 over Brandi Watts and Jen Howard. The match at No. 1 was abandoned after U-M secured the point.

The Wolverines put the match away in singles with three straight-set wins. Minnesota collect its only of the match as Valerie Vladea won a 6-2, 6-1 match against Tipirneni at top slot. Michigan received wins from freshmen Michelle DaCosta (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne HS) at No. 2, Nolan at No. 3 and Plaushines at No. 6. The remaining two matches at No. 4 and No. 5 singles were abandoned once Michigan clinched the victory.

Michigan will face No. 3 seed Ohio State tomorrow (Friday, April 26, 2:30 p.m. EST/CDT) in quarterfinal action at the IU Tennis Courts. The Wolverines won a 4-3 hom match against the then No. 36-ranked Buckeyes on April 6 at the Varsity Tennis Center.

Following are match-by-match results:

Singles
No. 1 -- Valerie Vladea (MINN) d. Kavitha Tipirneni, 6-2, 6-1
No. 2 -- Michelle DaCosta (MINN) d. Michaela Havelkova, 6-1, 6-2
No. 3 -- Chrissie Nolan (MINN) d. Andrea Rose, 6-1, 6-0
No. 4 -- Leanne Rutherford (MICH) vs. Kelly Perry (MINN) -- abandoned
No. 5 -- Jen Duprez (MICH) vs. Kandis Batiste (MINN) -- abandoned
No. 6 -- Kim Plaushines (MICH) d. Brandi Watts, 6-2, 6-2

Doubles
No. 1 -- DaCosta/Rutherford (MICH) vs. Vladea/Havelkova (MINN) -- abandoned
No. 2 -- Duprez/Plaushines (MICH) d. Perry/Rose, 8-2
No. 3 -- Nolan/Tipirneni (MICH) d. Watts/Jen Howard, 8-2

N O T E S

With her victory at No. 3 doubles with Kavitha Tipirneni, Chrissie Nolan became the first Wolverine to reach 20 doubles wins since the 1997 Big Ten title season. Nolan has compiled a 20-7 overall doubles record and a 15-5 mark at No. 3 doubles with Tipirneni.

With today's victory against Minnesota, U-M head coach Bitsy Ritt gained her 225th career victory at Michigan. Ritt has compiled a 225-201 record in 18 years as the Wolverines coach.

Contact: David Ablauf (734) 763-4423