Semifinal Showdown Set for ACC Women's Tennis Championship
No. 6 seed Florida State upsets No. 3 seed Miami, 4-2, in final match of the day.



April 18, 2008

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. - The 2008 Atlantic Coast Conference Women's Tennis Championship wrapped up quarterfinal action Friday night with sixth-seeded Florida State upending No. 3 seed Miami at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs, Fla. Other teams advancing to Saturday's semifinals include defending champion Georgia Tech, Clemson and Duke.

Clemson, which advances to the semifinals for the sixth consecutive year, will be taking on top-seeded Georgia Tech in the first semifinal match on Saturday at 10 a.m. The two teams have met four times in the ACC Tournament with the record tied at 2-2.

The other semifinal match will pit Florida State against Duke at 1 p.m. The Blue Devils, who edged the Seminoles 4-3 during the regular season, holds a 5-0 advantage over FSU in the league tournament.

In the two morning matches, defending ACC champion Georgia Tech made quick work of eighth-seeded NC State 4-0 while fourth-seeded Clemson held off No. 5 seed North Carolina 4-2. The top-seeded Yellow Jackets won all three doubles matches with ACC Player of the Year Kristi Miller and Sasha Krupina clinching the point. Miller gave Georgia Tech a 2-0 lead with her 6-1, 6-3 win over NC State's Daria Petrovic, and wins from Amanda McDowell at court two and Maya Johansson's clinching victory over Georgia Tech's Neils Barringer at No. 6 secured the shut out for the Yellow Jackets.

The battle between Clemson and North Carolina turned into a back-and-forth affair. After the Tigers notched the doubles point with wins at Nos. 1 and 3, things heated up in singles play. UNC tied the match twice behind Sanaz Marand's 6-4, 6-1 victory over Ani Mijacika at the top spot and Katrina Tsang's 7-6 (3), 6-1 triumph against Estefania Balda at No. 2. However, Clemson fought off the Tar Heels as Federica Van Adrichem won her match at court four and Ina Hadziselimovic captured the overall win for the Tigers with a 7-5, 6-4 victory on court five.

Duke will return to the semifinal round of the ACC Championship after missing it for the first time in 2006, as the No. 2 seed Blue Devils eliminated seventh-seeded Virginia 4-1. Duke secured wins at Nos. 1 and 3 to clinch the doubles point, but Virginia's Jennifer Stevens tied the match with a 6-4, 6-1 win over ACC Freshman of the Year Ellah Nze from Duke at the No. 2 singles position. The Blue Devils went on to claim the next three singles matches on courts 1, 4 and 5 with Amanda Granson earning the game-winning point and overall victory over Lara Alexander 7-5, 6-2 at No. 5.

In the final quarterfinal match of the day, the Seminoles took a 2-0 lead after claiming the doubles point and collecting a 6-4, 6-2 win from Carolin Walter at No. 3 singles. Miami climbed back to win at Nos. 1 and 4 and even the playing field, but FSU ended any chances of a Hurricane rally. The Gold and Garnet secured wins at courts five and six, as Tapiwa Marobela clinched the overall match 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 at the No. 6 position.

Coverage of the ACC Women's Tennis Championship will be made available On-Demand every night (April 18-20) by 9 p.m. on ACC Select.

Friday, April 18 - Quarterfinal Results
#1 Georgia Tech def. #8 NC State, 4-0
#4 Clemson def. #5 North Carolina, 4-2
#2 Duke def. #7 seed Virginia, 4-1
#6 Florida State def. #3 Miami, 4-2

Saturday, April 19 - Semifinal Matches
#4 Clemson vs. #1 Georgia Tech - 10:00 a.m.
#6 Florida State vs. #2 Duke - 1:00 p.m.

Sunday, April 20 - Final
Championship Match - 11:00 a.m.