Clemson Defeats Winthrop in NCAA Women’s Tennis Tournament

May 9, 2008

Tigers advance to play #19 Michigan in second round Saturday at 11 a.m. The 13th ranked Clemson Women’s Tennis team took on the Winthrop Eagles in the opening round of NCAA tournament action Friday, with the Tigers winning, 4-0. The Tigers move to 16-9 on the season while the Eagles close out at 13-12.

The Tigers got on the board first with the doubles point. Federica van Adrichem and Estefania Balda downed Winthrop’s Sara Abutovic and Yelena Fadina, 8-4. Then, Ina Hadziselimovic and Alexandra Luc took down the Eagles’ Larisa Berkmetova and Lisa Wilkinson 8-3 to earn the doubles point. The fourth-ranked duo of Ani Mijacika and Carol Salge finished within a minute of the clinching doubles point, but the result will not count due the point having already been decided.

Estefania Balda dropped out prior to her match due to a shoulder injury. Hadziselimovic took the matchup with Abutovic in straight sets, 6-0, 6-2, to gain the first singles point for the Tigers. #115 Alexandra Luc, called into singles action due to the Balda injury, took down Paula Pereira at flight six to clinch the match for the Tigers.

The Tigers will advance to face the Michigan Wolverines in the second round for a chance to go to Tulsa to play for the National Championship. The match with be at 11 a.m. at the Hoke Sloan Tennis Center. Tickets are five dollars for the general public and three dollars for students.