Plaushines Clinches U-M's Comeback Win Over DePaul

Saturday, January 18

Ann Arbor, Mich.

1:00 PM

Michigan

DePaul

1/18/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's tennis team rallied after losing the doubles point to defeat DePaul by a 4-3 score Saturday afternoon (Jan. 18) at the Varsity Tennis Center. The Wolverines (2-0) won four of the six singles matches after collecting just one doubles victory against the Blue Demons (0-2).

Plaushines earned wins in both singles and doubles against the Blue Demons.

Michigan gained the early doubles advantage as senior Jen Duprez (Westhampton, N.Y./Westhampton Beach HS) and junior Kim Plaushines (Oconomowoc, Wis./Kettle Moraine HS) rallied from a 3-0 and 4-1 deficits to win seven straight games and take the match 8-4 against the Blue Demons' Natalie Matko and Brenda Leung at No. 2. DePaul gained an impressive 8-4 win from Szilvia Kelemen and Marina Parashkevova at the top slot to even things at one match apiece. The Blue Demons gained the team point and a 1-0 lead as Megan Stewart and Karen Falduto won a close 8-6 match against juniors Chrissie Nolan (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South HS) and Kavitha Tipirneni (Galloway, Ohio/Hilliard Darby HS) at No. 3.

The Wolverines won in straight sets the first three singles matches to finish, and Plaushines pulled out the team victory with a come-from-behind, three-set win at the No. 5 spot. Plaushines dropped the first set and trailed 4-1 in the third set before winning the final five points against Karen Falduto to gain a 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory.

Freshman Debra Streifler (Highland Park, Ill./Highland Park HS) made quick work at No. 6, winning 6-2, 6-1 against Rachel Dybas. Nolan followed with an identical 6-2, 6-1 victory over Matko at No. 3 to give the Wolverines the advantage 2-1 in the match. Sophomore Leanne Rutherford (Calgary, Alberta/National Sports School) pushed the U-M lead to 3-1 with a 7-5, 6-4 win against Leung at No. 4.

DePaul made the score 3-2 as Kelemen posted a 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 victory against sophomore Michelle DaCosta (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne HS) at No. 1. Plaushines provided U-M with the team victory but the Blue Demons made the final outcome 4-3 as Parashkevova outlasted Tipirneni in a three-set battle at No. 2 [7-6(6), 1-6, 6-4].

U-M begins a six-match road swing in Southeastern Conference territory with matches next week against Tennessee Sunday (Jan. 26, 1 p.m.) and Kentucky Monday (Jan. 27, 1 p.m.).

Following are match-by-match results:

Singles
No. 1 -- Szilvia Kelemen (DU) d. Michelle DaCosta, 6-3, 2-6, 6-3
No. 2 -- Marina Parashkevova (DU) d. Kavitha Tipirneni, 7-6(6), 1-6, 6-4
No. 3 -- Chrissie Nolan (U-M) d. Natalie Matko, 6-2, 6-1
No. 4 -- Leanne Rutherford (U-M) d. Brenda Leung, 7-5, 6-4
No. 5 -- Kim Plaushines (U-M) d. Karen Falduto, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4
No. 6 -- Debra Streifler (U-M) d. Rachel Dybas, 6-2, 6-1

Doubles
No. 1 -- Kelemen/Parashkevova (DU) d. DaCosta/Rutherford, 8-4
No. 2 -- Duprez/Plaushines (U-M) d. N. Matko/Leung, 8-4
No. 3 -- Falduto/ Megan Stewart (DU) d. Nolan/Tipirneni, 8-6

N O T E S

Senior Joanne Musgrove (LaSalle, Ontario/Sandwich HS) and freshman Debra Streifler won an 8-5 exhibition doubles match against Stephanie Matko and Rachel Dybas.

Jen Duprez and Joanne Musgrove won exhibition singles matches against their Blue Demon counterparts. Duprez collected a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Stephanie Matko and Musgrove won a set (6-2) against Megan Stewart.

Contact: David Ablauf (734) 763-4423