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No. 8 Clemson Advances to ACC Semis with 4-2 Win over Virginia

April 23, 2010

CARY, NC – The No. 8 Clemson women’s tennis team advanced to the ACC Semifinals with a 4-2 win against No. 26 Virginia. The Tigers (22-4), the three-seed, fought off several terrific challenges from the six-seed Cavaliers, finally closing the match out at the four-hour mark.

“They always fight and they were there at every position. Virginia is a formidable opponent and was very aggressive in singles and doubles, leading to their success,” said Head Coach Nancy Harris. “They have ended very strong and have a great shot at nationals. I think in order for us to be more successful, we need to be more aggressive, and I think we played tentatively today.”

The Tigers advance to take on No. 20 Georgia Tech on Saturday at 1:00 pm at the Cary Tennis Park. In the case of inclement weather, the match will be moved indoors to Duke’s Indoor facility.

Rarely do teams meet twice a row, and it is always interesting to see who can make the adjustments in the second meeting. In this case, the Tigers were able to take their second straight from Virginia. The two met only five days ago in Charlottesville, a 4-3 decision in favor of Clemson. The two matches were both hotly contested, with Keri Wong and Nelly Ciolkowski winning matches against players they had lost to only last week.

“We had the advantage of seeing that team most recently, and it gives the individual a chance to decide their gameplan,” said Harris.  “Keri did what she had to do to win her match, with all of that pressure on her. With Nelly, after the second set, she was tough as nails, and did whatever it took to win, and stuck with her gameplan. They were incredible.”

Clemson got on the board first with the doubles point. The ninth-ranked duo of Ina Hadziselimovic continued their strong play, besting the 26th-ranked Stevens and Tomljanivic, 8-5, for the second time in a week. For Hadziselimovic, it was her 32nd doubles win of the year, one shy of the school record, and 102nd of her career, extending her own school mark.

With simultaneous match points at two and three, Laurianne Henry put away the doubles point with an 8-4 win over 45th-ranked Hardenbergh and Vierra at flight two. At the same time, the group of Fraser and Gater for Virginia defeated Caroline Magnusson, 8-6.

Jennifer Stevens got Virginia on the board with a 6-4, 6-0 win over Laurianne Henry at flight five.

Bek, ranked 19th nationally defeated #50 Lindsey Hardenbergh, 6-4, 6-3 for her ninth straight singles win, and second straight over Hardenbergh.

Virginia struck again at flight six to even the match at 2-all as Katie Gater avenged her 6-2,6-4 loss last week to Caroline Magnusson by winning 6-4, 6-1 in the ACC Tournament.

Freshman Nelly Ciolkowski won her first career ACC singles match with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 win at No. 4 singles over Hana Tomljanovic, who had defeated her last week in Charlottesville. Ciolkowski is now 28-6 this season and ranked #94 nationally.

The final two matches still on the court were at flights two and three. #74 Keri Wong and Emily Fraser were battling in a third set, while Hadziselimovic tried to close out Erin Vierra in a second –set tiebreak.

With Wong already in the third set, Vierra won a tiebreak against Hadziselimovic to force a third set.

Both Tigers had several chances to close out their Cavalier counterpart, but Virginia kept fighting and keeping the match live at 3-2 Clemson.

Finally, each Tiger forced their hand, putting the pressure on Virginia. Wong broke a 5-all tie to take a 6-5 lead, while Hadziselimovic started to distance herself with a 5-2 edge. Wong put her match away, clinching for the Tigers, 4-2.

Clemson will play on Saturday at 1:00 pm against Georgia Tech, who knocked off #2 seed Miami, 4-3, earlier in the day. The Tigers won 6-1 against Georgia Tech the first time they played in February in Atlanta.

 

#8 Clemson 4, #26 Virginia 2

April 23, 2010 – Cary, NC – ACC Tournament Quarterfinals

 

Doubles:

#9 Bek/ Hadziselimovic (CU) def. #26 Stevens/Tomljanovic (VA), 8-5

Henry/Wong (CU) def.  #45 Hardenbergh/Vierra (VA), 8-4

Gater/Fraser (VA) def. Ciolkowski/Magnusson (CU), 8-6

Order of Finish: 1,3,2

 

Singles:

#19 Josipa Bek (CU) def. #50 Lindsey Hardenbergh (VA), 6-4, 6-3

#74 Keri Wong (CU) def. Emily Fraser (VA), 6-3, 5-7, 7-5

#121 Ina Hadziselimovic (CU) led Erin Vierra (VA) 6-4, 6-7(6), 5-2 dnf

#94 Nelly Ciolkowski (CU) def. Hana Tomljanovic (VA), 6-3, 4-6, 6-2

Jennifer Stevens (VA) def. Laurianne Henry (CU), 6-4, 6-0

Katie Gater (VA) def. Caroline Magnusson (CU), 6-4, 6-1

Order of Finish: 5,1,6,4,2*

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