Michigan
Denver
U-M Routs Denver, Advances to NCAA Second Round
5/14/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
PALO ALTO, Calif. -- The No. 26-ranked University of Michigan women's tennis team won the doubles point and three quick singles matches to post a 4-1 victory over No. 46 Denver and advance to the second round in NCAA Regional action Friday (May 14) at Stanford's Taube Family Tennis Center.
| | DaCosta clinched the doubles point with Delicata, then won her singles match 7-6, 6-4. |
Also recording singles victories for Michigan were junior Michelle DaCosta (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne HS) and sophomore Debra Streifler (Highland Park, Ill./Highland Park HS) at the No. 1 and No. 6 positions, respectively. DaCosta battled against Denver's Yanick Dullens, squeezing past the Pioneer 7-6, 6-4, while Streifler posted a dominant 6-3, 6-1 score against Emily Messaros.
The Wolverines rebounded in the doubles competition after dropping an 8-1 decision at the No. 3 spot, winning the final two contests to claim the doubles point and the early lead. DaCosta and freshman Kara Delicata (LaSalle, Ontario/Sandwich Secondary) battled to an 8-5 victory over Dullens and Suzana Maksovic at No. 1, while senior Kim Plaushines (Oconowomoc, Wis./Kettle Moraine HS) and Streifler handily defeated Trettin and Barbara Kourim 8-1 at the No. 2 position.
U-M (17-6) will return to the hardcourt tomorrow (Saturday, May 15) for the second round at the NCAA Regional in Palo Alto, Calif. The Wolverines will face host and No. 1-ranked Stanford (24-0), a 4-0 first-round winner over Quinnipiac, at 3 p.m. PDT.
Following are match-by-match results:
Singles
No. 1 -- #53 Michelle DaCosta (U-M) d. Yanick Dullens, 7-6, 6-4
No. 2 -- #83 Elizabeth Exon (U-M) vs. Suzana Maksovic (DU), abandoned
No. 3 -- Kavitha Tipirneni (U-M) d. Jenny Trettin, 6-1, 7-5
No. 4 -- Leanne Rutherford (U-M) vs. Barbara Kourim (DU), abandoned
No. 5 -- Rachel Sackmaster (DU) d. Kara Delicata, 6-3, 6-1
No. 6 -- Debra Streifler (U-M) d. Emily Messaros, 6-3, 6-1
Doubles
No. 1 -- DaCosta/Delicata (U-M) d. Dullens/Maksovic, 8-5
No. 2 -- Kim Plaushines/Streifler (U-M) d. Trettin/Kourim, 8-1
No. 3 -- Sackmaster/Mechem (DU) d. Nolan/Tipirneni, 8-2
Order of Completion: Doubles 3-2-1, Singles 6-5-1-3
Q U O T E S
U-M Head Coach Bitsy Ritt
On the match ... "It was a great match. I though Denver played very well; the team score was not necessarily indicative of the competition. It was good tennis today. We did a great job at No. 1 and 2 doubles to come back and win the doubles point. The matches at No. 1 and 2 singles were very close, and I was very happy with the the way we came back to win close tiebreakers. It was a tough match, and I thought we played well."
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
