Michigan
Miami (Fla.)
Rutherford Clinches Michigan's Upset of No. 27 Miami
4/5/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Freshman Leanne Rutherford (Calgary, Alberta/National Sports School) of the University of Michigan women's tennis team clinched the Wolverines' 4-3 upset over No. 27-ranked Miami (Fla.) Friday afternoon (April 5) at the Varsity Tennis Center, posting a come-from-behind 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(7) victory against the Hurricanes' Sihem Bennacer at the No. 4 singles slot. In the last match on the court and with the score knotted at three apiece, Rutherford and Bennacer battled back and forth down the stretch with Rutherford winning the third-set tie breaker by a 9-7 score.
Rutherford |
Michigan managed to win the doubles point with a pair of victories and nearly swept the three matches but Miami's Mari Toro and Marcy Hora posted a 9-8 victory by a 7-3 score in a tiebreaker against Rutherford and fellow freshman Michelle DaCosta (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne HS) at the top spot. Sophomores Kavitha Tipirneni (Galloway, Ohio/Hilliard Darby HS) and Chrissie Nolan (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South HS) tallied an 8-3 victory over Stacey Stevens and Ewelina Skaza at the No. 3 spot. The Wolverines clinched the team point as junior Jen Duprez (Westhampton, N.Y./Westhampton Beach HS) and sophomore Kim Plaushines (Oconomowoc, Wis./Kettle Moraine HS) won 8-5 against Sara Robbins and Igna de Viliers at No. 2.
In singles action, Miami claimed straight-set victories from Stevens at No. 3 and Robbins at No. 6 and Michigan countered with a straight-set victory from DaCosta at No. 2 to keep the score 2-2. Duprez gave the Wolverines a 3-2 advantage as she rallied for a 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 win over Skaza at No. 5. The Hurricanes knotted the score at three apiece as Toro won a 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-2 match against Tipirneni in three sets at the top singles slot, setting the stage for the dramatic finish to the match.
Michigan (8-8, 1-4 Big Ten) begins a Big Ten weekend of matches tomorrow (Saturday, April 6, 11 a.m.) against No. 36-ranked Ohio State at the Varsity Tennis Center. The Wolverines complete their three-match homestand by hosting Penn State Sunday (April 7, 11 a.m.).
Following are match-by-match results:
Singles
No. 1 -- Mari Toro (MIA) d. Kavitha Tipirneni, 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-2
No. 2 -- Michelle DaCosta (MICH) d. Marcy Hora, 6-4, 6-1
No. 3 -- Stacey Stevens (MIA) d. Chrissie Nolan, 6-4, 6-1
No. 4 -- Leanne Rutherford (MICH) d. Sihem Bennacer, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(7)
No. 5 -- Jen Duprez (MICH) d. Ewelina Skaza, 5-7, 6-2, 6-2
No. 6 -- Sara Robbins (MIA) d. Kim Plaushines, 6-4, 6-4
Doubles
No. 1 -- Toro/Hora (MIA) d. DaCosta/Rutherford, 9-8(3)
No. 2 -- Duprez/Plaushines (MICH) d. Robbins/Igna de Viliers, 8-5
No. 3 -- Nolan/Tipirneni (MICH) d. Stevens/Skaza, 8-3
Contact: David Ablauf (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
