May 22, 2009

Hurricanes Place Two in NCAA Women's Singles Quarterfinals
Junior Laura Vallverdu and sophomore Julia Cohen advanced to Saturday's quarterfinals where they will represent the University of Miami women's tennis team in the NCAA Women's Tennis Singles Championships at the George P. Mitchell Tennis Center in College Station, Texas. However, UM sophomore Bianca Eichkorn's historic run came to an end with a straight-set defeat.

After four rounds of competition, the University of Miami is one of just two schools, including Duke, to have three All-Americans as a team with Julia Cohen, Bianca Eichkorn and Laura Vallverdu. It is the first All-America award for Eichkorn and Cohen, and the third consecutive for Vallverdu.

Make it back-to-back days of a new "first" for the University of Miami women's tennis team and head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews, as for the first time in school history the Hurricanes will be represented by multiple players in the NCAA Singles quarterfinal round.

Cecil Advances To The Quarterfinals
Duke University freshman Mallory Cecil played her way into the NCAA Women’s Tennis Individual Tournament quarterfinals this afternoon with a victory in the round of 16. The fifth-seeded Cecil continues her quest for an individual national title on May 23.

Also in action in the round of 16 for the blue Devils were sophomores Reka Zsilinszka and Ellah Nze. Facing off against the No. 1 No. 2 seeds, respectively, the duo dropped tough contests to close out the memorable 2009 season.

Cecil opened the day with another straight-set victory over Miami’s Bianca Eichkorn. The Spartanburg, S.C., native cruised to the 6-2, 7-5 win to capture her 29th victory of the season. She is the first Blue Devil since 2001 to advance to the quarterfinal round. Ansley Cargill is the last to do it, losing in the final eight round.

Marand Rolls Into NCAA Quarters
North Carolina junior Sanaz Marand moved into the quarterfinals of the NCAA Singles Championship with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Furman's Laura Gioia Friday afternoon at Texas A&M's Mitchell Tennis Center. With the win, Marand will face No. 2-seeded Julia Cohen of Miami Saturday for a spot in the national semifinals.

Marand dropped just two games in becoming the first Tar Heel singles player to advance to the national quarterfinals since Kate Pinchbeck in 2002. Prior to that, only Cinda Gurney, who lost in the 1993 NCAA title match, had been this far in the event.

In order to advance to the national semifinals, Marand will have to take down the No. 2 overall seed in the event. The Katy, Texas, native will also look to avenge a 6-4, 6-1 loss to Cohen in Coral Gables, Fla., from earlier this season.

Clemson Doubles Team Reaches Elite Eight In NCAA Women's Tennis Tournament
The Clemson doubles team of Josipa Bek and Ina Hadziselimovic won their second round match at the NCAA Championships at the George P. Mitchell Tennis Center on the campus of Texas A&M University. By advancing to the elite eight of the national tournament, the Tigers earned All-America honors in doubles joining Ani Mijacika and Keri Wong to give Clemson a school-record four for the 2009 season.

Bek and Hadziselimovic defeated TCU’s tandem of Macall Harkins and Anna Sydorska on Fridayevening in straight sets. The Tiger duo eked out the Horned Frog players in the opening set and then edged them in the tiebreak. The two teams were then knotted at four games apiece in the second set before the Clemson team held on Bek’s serve. They then broke TCU to clinch the 6-4 victory.

Bek and Hadziselimovic improved to 17-7 on the year and will face Tennessee’s team of Natalie Pluskota and Caitline Whoriskey in the round of eight. The Volunteer duo knocked off second-seeded Kristy Frilling and Kelcy Tefft of Notre Dame on Thursday in straight sets.