No. 8 Tigers Close Out Regular Season with 4-3 Win at No. 31 Virginia

April 18, 2010

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – The No. 8 Clemson women’s tennis team closed down its regular season with a 4-3 win at No. 31 Virginia. The Tigers (21-4, 9-2 ACC) won the doubles point and three singles matches over the Cavaliers (13-7, 6-5 ACC). During the match, senior All-American Ina Hadziselimovic won her 101^st career doubles match, a new Clemson school record.

Clemson wrapped up the three-seed in the ACC Tournament, and depending on the rest of Sunday’s results, could end up playing Virginia again for a shot to go the semifinals.

The Cavaliers fought valiantly, holding Clemson close until the second to last match, a three-set win by Hadziselimovic at flight three. Clemson moved to 8-1 on the road in 2010, tied for the fifth-best road mark in school history.

Josipa Bek and Hadziselimovic, ranked ninth nationally in doubles, continued their hot play, defeating the #38 ranked group of Tomljanovic and Stevens, 8-2. The win was the 31^st of the season for Hadziselimovic, and the 110st of her career, surpassing the mark of 100 set by Jody Trucks in 1984, a mark that lasted 26 years. The 31 wins is a career high for the Sarajevo, Bosnia native, and the third-highest mark in school history. She and Bek finished the ACC season with a sterling, 9-1 record in ACC play.

Estefania Balda and Caroline Magnusson at flight two.

In singles play, Virginia won at flights two and five to take a 2-1 lead. Jennifer Stevens downed Balda, 6-1, 6-3 at five, and Emily Fraser took down #71 Keri Wong, 6-3, 6-3 at flight two.

Facing the deficit, the Tigers dug their heels in, posting wins at the next three singles matches to clinch. Caroline Magnusson defeated Katie Gater at flight six, 6-2, 6-4. Then, #19 Josipa Bek took down #44 Hardenbergh 6-2, 6-4 at flight one. Hadziselimovic ,ranked #102 in singles, won the first set, 6-2, dropped the second, 6-2, but won the third, 6-4 to give Clemson its’ fourth point over Vierra at flight three.

Hana Tomljanovic defeated #89 Nelly Ciolkowski, 10-7 in a super tiebreak set after the pair split 7-5 decisions.

Final seedings for the ACC Tournament will be announced Sunday, and the Tournament takes place from April 22-25 in Cary, NC. The Tigers will then await word on an NCAA tournament bid when the selection show airs on May 4 on ESPNews. The Tigers have hosted in eight straight seasons.

#8 Clemson 4, #31 Virginia 3

April 18, 2010 – Charlottesville, VA

Doubles:

1. #9 Bek/Hadziselimovic (CU) d. #38 Tomljanovic/Stevens (VA), 8-2

2. #55 Hardenbergh (VA) d. Ciolkowski/Magnusson (CU), 8-5

3. Balda/Wong (CU) d. Fraser/Gater (VA), 8-6

Order of finish: 1,3,2

Singles:

1. #19 Josipa Bek (CU) d. #44 Lindsey Hardenbergh (VA), 6-2, 6-4

2. Emily Fraser (VA) d. #71 Keri Wong (CU), 6-3, 6-3

3. #102 Ina Hadziselimovic (CU) d. Erin Vierra (VA), 6-2, 2-6, 6-4

4. Hana Tomjanovic (VA) d. #89 Nelly Ciolkowski (CU), 7-5, 5-7, 1-0 (10-7)