U-M Sweeps Doubles, Wins Five in Singles to Top WMU

Wednesday, March 17

Ann Arbor, Mich.

6:00 PM

Michigan

Western Michigan

3/17/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 19-ranked University of Michgian women's tennis team got back to its winning ways Wednesday night (March 17), cruising to a 6-1 victory over Western Michigan at the Varsity Tennis Center. The Wolverines (8-1) swept all three doubles matches before taking five of six in singles to improve their season record at the VTC to a perfect 6-0.

Freshman Elizabeth Exon (Irvine, Calif./Woodbridge HS) and senior Chrissie Nolan (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South HS) got U-M rolling with an 8-2 victory over Carrie Jeanmaire and Maelynn Bernosky at No. 3 doubles. Junior Michelle DaCosta (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne HS) and freshman Kara Delicata (LaSalle, Ontario/Sandwich Secondary) then gave Michigan the point with an 8-6 win over Frederika Girsang and Valeria Stoilova at the top spot. Soon after, senior Kim Plaushines (Oconomowoc, Wis./Kettle Moraine HS) and sophomore Debra Streifler (Highland Park, Ill./Highland Park HS) completed the sweep with a 9-8(4) decision over Malena Remynse and Rattiya Hiranrat at No. 2.

Delicata gave the Wolverines a two-point advantage after easily defeating Bernosky 6-3, 6-1 at No. 6. Minutes later, Streifler brought U-M within one point of the team victory by bettering Remynse 6-4, 6-4 at No. 5. Exon then clinched the match at No. 2, dominating Reedhina Parekh in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3.

Senior Kavitha Tipirneni (Galloway, Ohio/Hilliard Darby HS) kept things going with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Jeanmaire at No. 3. Junior Leanne Rutherford (Calgary, Alberta/National Sports School) rounded out the U-M victors, posting a super-tiebreaker win at No. 4 over Stoilova, 4-6, 6-1, 1-0(2).

Girsang, ranked No. 95 in the nation, prevented the overall sweep by defeating the 99th-ranked DaCosta 7-6(3), 6-4 at No. 1.

The Wolverines close out their non-conference schedule on Saturday (March 20) in Milwaukee, Wis., facing Marquette at noon.

Following are match-by-match results:

Singles
No. 1 -- #95 Frederika Girsang (WMU) d. # 99 Michelle DaCosta, 7-6(3), 6-4
No. 2 -- #67 Elizabeth Exon (U-M) d. Reedhina Parekh, 6-3, 6-3
No. 3 -- Kavitha Tipirneni (U-M) d. Carrie Jeanmaire, 6-3, 6-1
No. 4 -- Leanne Rutherford (U-M) d. Valeria Stoilova, 4-6, 6-1, 1-0(2)
No. 5 -- Debra Streifler (U-M) d. Malena Remynse, 6-4, 6-4
No. 6 -- Kara Delicata (U-M) d. Maelynn Bernosky, 6-3, 6-1

Doubles
No. 1 -- #43 DaCosta/Delicata (U-M) d. Girsang/Stoilova, 8-6
No. 2 -- #36 Kim Plaushines/Streifler (U-M) d. Remynse/Rattiya Hiranrat, 9-8(4)
No. 3 -- Exon/Chrissie Nolan (U-M) d. Jeanmaire/Bernosky, 8-2

Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423