Strong Singles Play Gives Michigan Win at Wake Forest

Thursday, February 27

Winston-Salem, N.C.

2:00 PM

Michigan

Wake Forest

Strong Singles Play Gives Michigan Win at Wake Forest

2/27/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- The University of Michigan women's tennis team lost the doubles point but rallied for 4-3 victory against Wake Forest Thursday afternoon (Feb. 27) at the Wake Forest Indoor Tennis Center. The Wolverines (5-2) clinched the win with four singles victories against the Demon Deacons (1-8).

Rutherford picked up her 10th straight singles win.

Wake Forest gained a 1-0 advantage with commanding victories at the top two doubles spots. Michigan's Illinois doubles pairing of junior Chrissie Nolan (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South HS) and freshman Debra Streifler (Highland Park, Ill. Highland Park HS) kept the Demon Deacons from a doubles sweep, beating Elizabeth Proctor and Sandie Knight by an 8-3 score for their fifth straight victory at the No. 3 slot.

Wake Forest received a 6-4, 6-4 victory by 98th-ranked Karin Coetzee against sophomore Michelle DaCosta (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne HS) at the top singles spot, but the Wolverines countered with straight-set victories by Nolan and sophomore Leanne Rutherford (Calgary, Alberta/National Sports School) at the No. 3 and No. 4 spots, respectively. Nolan posted a 6-3, 6-2 win against Danielle Schwartz while 92nd-ranked Rutherford won her 10th straight match with a 6-3, 6-4 victory against Aimee Smith.

With the score knotted at two points apiece, the Wolverines managed to pull through with victories in two of the three three-set matches to earn their first victory in the series (1-4). Junior Kavitha Tipirneni (Galloway, Ohio/Hilliard Darby HS) upset 65th-ranked Katie Martzolf at No. 2 (6-3, 5-7, 6-3) and Streifler beat Elizabeth Proctor after moving up to No. 5 in the lineup (6-2, 5-7, 6-0). The Demon Deacons received their final team point of the match as Sandie Knight edged senior Joanne Musgrove (LaSalle, Ontario/Sandwich HS) by a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 margin at No. 6.

The Wolverines face No. 6-ranked Duke tomorrow (Friday, Feb. 28) at the Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center in Durham, N.C. The match will begin at 4 p.m.

Following are match-by-match results:

Singles
No. 1 -- #98 Karin Coetzee (WFU) d. Michelle DaCosta, 6-4, 6-4
No. 2 -- Kavitha Tipirneni (U-M) d. #65 Katie Martzolf, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3
No. 3 -- Chrissie Nolan (U-M) d. Danielle Schwartz, 6-3, 6-2
No. 4 -- #92 Leanne Rutherford (U-M) d. Aimee Smith, 6-3, 6-4
No. 5 -- Debra Streifler (U-M) d. Elizabeth Proctor, 6-2, 5-7, 6-0
No. 6 -- Sandie Knight (WFU) d. Joanne Musgrove, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3

Doubles
No. 1 -- Coetzee/Smith (WFU) d. DaCosta/Rutherford, 8-1
No. 2 -- Martzolf/Schwartz (WFU) d. Jen Duprez/Tipirneni, 8-4
No. 3 -- Nolan/Streifler (U-M) d. Proctor/Knight, 8-3

Contact: Dave Ablauf (734) 763-4423