Taney Claims Singles Crown at ITA Summer Circuit
7/9/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Incoming freshman Whitney Taney(Edina, Minn./Edina HS) of the University of Michigan women's tennis team claimed the singles championship during the first leg of the 2007 ITA Midwest Summer Circuit, which U-M hosted this past Saturday through Monday (July 7-9) at the Varsity Tennis Center. Taney posted a 5-0 record en route to the title in the 64-player singles draw and teamed with Illinois' Marisa Lambropoulos for a 2-1 mark and a semifinal finish in the 32-team doubles bracket.
Taney, the fifth seed, drew a first-round bye and then cruised to 6-0, 6-1 victories over Minnesota's Jacqueline Sperling and Western Michigan's Emily Dudzik to advance. Taney had a tougher time in her quarterfinal match against Purdue's Neela Vaez, but she rebounded from a early deficit to wrap up a 2-6, 6-4, 1-0(5) triumph.
Taney got off to a similar start in her semifinal bout against UCLA's Andrea Remynse, dropping the first set by a 6-3 margin. Just as she did against Vaez, Taney battled back to win the second frame (7-5) before slipping by in the super-tiebreaker (11-9). She withstood three match points in the final set by claiming five straight points to erase a 9-6 deficit and secure a trip to the title match.
Taney completed her third straight comeback attempt in the championship final, as she fought back to earn a 4-6, 6-3, 1-0(8) decision over fourth-seeded Shannon Matthews of Birmingham, Mich.
Following are match-by-match results:
SINGLES
Whitney Taney
First Round -- Bye
Second Round -- d. Jacqueline Sperling (Minnesota), 6-0, 6-1
Third Round -- d. Emily Dudzik (Western Michigan), 6-0, 6-1
Quarterfinals -- d. Neela Vaez (Purdue), 2-6, 6-4, 1-0(5)
Semifinals -- d. Andrea Remynse (UCLA), 3-6, 7-5, 1-0(9)
Championship Match -- d. Shannon Matthews (Birmingham, Mich.), 4-6, 6-3, 1-0(8)
Finished as champion with a 5-0 record
DOUBLES
Whitney Taney/Marisa Lambropoulos (Illinois)
First Round -- Bye
Second Round -- d. Samantha Galainena (Davidson)/Alaina Trgovich (Kentucky), w/o
Quarterfinals -- d. Yuka Kobayashi/Austin Lavallii (Williamston, Mich.), 8-0
Semifinals -- l. Elizabeth Lumpkin (UCLA)/Neela Vaez (Purdue), 8-5
Finished with a 2-1 record
Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
