U-M Squeezes Past Wisconsin in Big Ten Quarterfinals

Friday, April 30

Evanston, Ill.

10:00 AM CT

Michigan

Wisconsin

4/30/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis

EVANSTON, Ill. -- After dropping the doubles point and two quick singles decisions, the No. 27 University of Michigan women's tennis team rallied from a 3-0 deficit to post four straight wins for a 4-3 victory over Wisconsin in the quarterfinal round of the Big Ten Conference Championship on Friday (April 30) at Northwestern's Combe Indoor Tennis Center.

Tipirneni improved to 18-3 in dual match action with her clincher at No. 3 singles.

With the team decision coming down to the last match on the court, senior Kavitha Tipirneni (Galloway, Ohio/Hilliard Darby HS) stepped up to clinch the Wolverines' second win over Wisconsin in as many weeks with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Caitlin Burke at the No. 3 singles position.

Also collecting straight-set singles victories were freshman Elizabeth Exon (Irvine, Calif./Woodbridge HS), senior Chrissie Nolan (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South HS) and freshman Kara Delicata (LaSalle, Ontario/Sandwich Secondary), who collected back-to-back wins against their Badger opponents. Exon, ranked 83rd by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, recorded a 6-1, 6-4 score against Shana McElroy at the No. 2 position to improve her winning streak to five matches, while Delicata notched her sixth consecutive win with a 6-3, 6-2 decision against Teresa Gonzaga at the No. 6 spot.

After splitting doubles matches at the No. 1 and No. 3 position, the early lead came down to the No. 2 court, where senior Kim Plaushines (Oconowomoc, Wis./Kettle Moraine HS) and sophomore Debra Streifler (Highland Park, Ill./Highland Park HS) fell just short, losing to the Badgers' Burke and Gonzaga 9-8(4) in a tiebreaker. Nolan and Tipirneni collected the Wolverines' lone doubles victory, improving their season record to an undefeated 3-0 with a dominant 8-1 performance over Kaylan Caiati and McElroy.

The Wolverines will return to the hardcourt at the Big Ten Championships tomorrow (Saturday, May 1) against top-seeded Northwestern in the semifinals. The match is slated for a 10 a.m. CDT start at the Vandy Christy Tennis Center.

Following are match-by-match results:

Singles
No. 1 -- #96 Katie McGaffigan (UW) d. #49 Michelle DaCosta, 6-1, 6-2
No. 2 -- #83 Elizabeth Exon (U-M) d. Shana McElroy, 6-1, 6-4
No. 3 -- Kavitha Tipirneni (U-M) d. Caitlin Burke, 7-5, 6-4
No. 4 -- Chrissie Nolan (U-M) d. Lindsay Martin, 6-3, 6-2
No. 5 -- Kaylan Caiati (UW) d. Debra Streifler, 6-3, 6-1
No. 6 -- Kara Delicata (U-M) d. Teresa Gonzaga, 6-3, 6-2

Doubles
No. 1 -- #57 Martin/McGaffigan (UW) d. #38 DaCosta/Delicata, 8-5
No. 2 -- #56 Burke/Gonzaga (UW) d. Kim Plaushines/Streifler, 9-8(4)
No. 3 -- Nolan/Tipirneni (U-M) d. Caiati/McElroy, 8-1

Order of Completion: Doubles 3-1-2, Singles 5-1-6-4-2-3

Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423