Michigan
NCAA Individual Championships
Fahey, Minor March On at NCAA Singles Championship
5/25/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
May 25, 2017
» Brienne Minor won her second straight match at the NCAA Singles Championship, knocking off No. 9-ranked Gabriela Talaba of Texas Tech, 6-4, 6-2.
» Kate Fahey picked up her 35th win of the season in a 6-3, 6-0 victory over No. 8 Viktoriya Lushkova of Oklahoma State. Her 35 wins tie her for third on the single-season list with Sarah Lee (2015).
» With the wins, Fahey and Minor each clinched All-America honors in singles. It is also the first time since 1984 that a Wolverine has advanced to the round of 16.
Site: Athens, Ga. (Dan Magill Tennis Complex)
Event: NCAA Singles Tournament (Second Round)/Doubles Tournament (First Round)
Score: No Team Scoring
Next U-M Event: Friday, May 26 -- at NCAA Individual Championships (Athens, Ga.), 10 a.m.
ATHENS, Ga. -- Sophomores Brienne Minor and Kate Fahey each advanced to the round of 16 and cemented All-America status as the University of Michigan women's tennis team wrapped up competition on the second day of action (Thursday, May 25) in the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
Minor took control of the first set early, breaking for a 2-0 lead. With a 4-1 lead in hand for Minor, No. 9-ranked Gabriela Talaba answered with two straight games to trim the lead to 4-3. Minor held on her next two service games to take the first set, 6-4.
Minor once again broke Talaba in her first service game of the second set for the early 1-0 lead. Minor fell in a 40-0 hole in her first service game but answered with four straight points to keep the break and 2-0 lead. Minor came through on a deuce point to hold serve at 4-2 before breaking Talaba in the next game for a 5-2 advantage. The Wolverine held serve in the next game, winning on a deuce point to advance to the round of 16 for the first time in her career.
Fahey and No. 8-ranked Viktoriya Lushkova each held serve throughout the first seven games of the first set. Fahey got the break she needed in the eighth game, breaking for a 5-3 lead. She served out the set in the next game to take the early lead in the match.
Fahey broke Lushkova to start the second set and held her serve in the next game, rallying from a 40-15 hole to take a 2-0 lead in the set. Fahey took advantage of three doubles faults by Lushkova in the next game to extend her lead to 3-0. It was all Fahey from there as the sophomore did not drop a game in the 6-0 second-set win.
With their singles wins, Fahey and Minor have clinched All-America status in singles for reaching the round of 16. It will be the second honor for Minor and the first for Fahey.
On the doubles court, Fahey and junior Alex Najarian fell to No. 20-ranked Kourtney Keegan and Brooke Austin. The Gator pair took the first set, 6-2, after taking advantage of a 3-0 spurt to start.
Florida once again got off to a fast start in the second set, taking it 6-2 to win the match. Fahey and Najarian conclude the season with a 27-6 overall record as a doubles pair.
Fahey and Minor will each play tomorrow (Friday, May 26) in the singles round of 16 at 10 a.m.
Following are match-by-match results:
Singles
#26 Kate Fahey (U-M) d. #8 Viktoriya Lushkova (Oklahoma State), 6-3, 6-0
#24 Brienne Minor (U-M) d. #9 Gabriela Talaba (Texas Tech), 6-4, 6-2
Doubles
#20 Brooke Austin/Kourtney Keegan (Florida) d. #9 Kate Fahey/Alex Najarian (U-M), 6-2, 6-2
Communications Contact: Sarah VanMetre
Players Mentioned
