Michigan
Northwestern
Michigan Falls to No. 11 Wildcats in Big Ten Semifinals
5/1/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
EVANSTON, Ill. -- The No. 29 University of Michigan women's tennis team was eliminated from the Big Ten Championship on Saturday (May 1), falling to top-seeded Northwestern 4-2 in the semifinals. The Wolverines (16-6, 6-4 Big Ten) gave up the early doubles point and won a pair of singles victories before the Wildcats earned their fourth point to clinch the win.
Senior Kavitha Tipirneni (Galloway, Ohio/Hilliard Darby HS) and freshman Kara Delicata (LaSalle, Ontario/Sandwich Secondary) each tallied her second singles win of the tournament at the No. 3 and No. 6 positions, respectively. Tipirneni, who clinched the Wolverines' quarterfinal victory over Wisconsin, battled through two marathon-like sets, pulling out a 7-6(3), 7-5 decision over the Wildcats' Alexis Prousis. Delicata improved her singles winning streak to seven consecutive matches with a dominant 6-2, 6-0 victory over Connie Chiang.
In her return to the singles lineup, junior Leanne Rutherford (Calgary, Alberta/National Sports School) was just one game shy of defeating Andrea Yung at the No. 5 spot, holding a 7-5, 6-7(3), 5-1 lead, but was forced to vacate her match when the Wildcats sealed the team victory.
Senior Chrissie Nolan (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South HS) and Tipirneni collected the Wolverines' only doubles win of the competition, defeating Ruth Barnes and Yung 8-2 at the No. 3 position to remain undefeated as a pair.
The Wolverines will await the selection process for the 2004 NCAA Championship. The 2004 Women's Tennis Selection Show will air Wednesday (May 6, 4 p.m. EDT) on ESPNews.
Following are match-by-match results:
Singles
No. 1 -- #3 Christelle Grier (NU) d. #49 Michelle DaCosta, 6-2, 6-4
No. 2 -- #47 Jessica Rush (NU) d. #83 Elizabeth Exon, 6-3, 6-3
No. 3 -- Kavitha Tipirneni (U-M) d. Alexis Prousis, 7-6(3), 7-5
No. 4 -- Jamie Peisel (NU) d. Chrissie Nolan, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5
No. 5 -- Leanne Rutherford (U-M) vs. Andrea Yung, abandoned
No. 6 -- Kara Delicata (U-M) d. Connie Chiang, 6-2, 6-0
Doubles
No. 1 -- #3 Grier/Rush (NU) d. #38 DaCosta/Delicata, 8-3
No. 2 -- Prousis/Peisel (NU) d. Kim Plaushines/Streifler, 8-5
No. 3 -- Nolan/Tipirneni (U-M) d. Ruth Barnes/Yung, 8-2
Order of Completion: Doubles 3-1-2, Singles 6-1-2-3-43
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
