Clemson Women’s Tennis Team Picks Up Two Victories On Friday

March 12, 2004

CLEMSON, SC – The 13th-ranked Clemson women’s tennis team won two matches on Friday, improving their record to 10-2 overall (2-0 ACC). The Tigers defeated South Florida by a score of 5-0 on Friday morning in Clemson and then traveled to Greenville, SC where they won a 7-0 decision over Furman on Friday evening.

Against South Florida, the Tigers swept the doubles matches to win the team doubles point. At flight one, seventh-ranked Maria Brito and Julie Coin of Clemson defeated Marie Andrade and Gabriela Duch of South Florida by a score of 8-2. The Tigers’ Daniela Alvarez and Ioana Paun won an 8-1 decision over Luisa Obando and Talia Romero at flight two. At number three doubles, Clemson’s Richele LeSaldo and Karen Rombouts were victorious over Patricia Kolendo and Yuri Kurashima by a score of 8-3.

In singles play against the Bulls, Coin, ranked sixth by the ITA, won a 6-2, 6-1 decision over Duch at flight one. The Tigers’ 68th-ranked Alvarez defeated Andrade by a score of 6-2, 6-2 at number two singles. Brito, ranked in a tie for 91st by the ITA, was victorious over Kolendo, 6-3, 6-0 at flight three. Rombouts won her number four singles match over Obando by a score of 6-2, 6-1.

In doubles action against the Paladins, Clemson again won all three matches to take the team doubles point. Seventh-ranked Coin and Brito defeated Furman’s Caroline Bentley and Jacqueline Eckert by a score of 8-5 at flight one. Alvarez and Paun won an 8-3 decision over the Paladins’ Mary Neill Hagood and Marti Morris at two doubles, while LeSaldo and Rombouts were victorious over Lisa Bornt-Davis and Shannon Moore 8-2 at flight three.

Against Furman in singles play, Coin (#6) defeated Hagood (6-2, 6-0) at flight one and Alvarez (#68) was victorious over Moore (6-3, 6-1) at flight two singles. At number three singles, Brito (T-#91) won a 6-4, 6-4 decision over Eckert, while Rombouts defeated Bentley (6-3, 6-1) at four singles. LeSaldo defeated her Furman opponent, Morris, by a score of 6-4, 6-4 at flight five and Paun won a three-set decision (6-0, 6-7(4), 10-4) over Furman’s Bonnie Baird at the number six position.

The Tigers will go on the road next week for a four-game series during the university’s spring vacation. Clemson will face Colorado, Brigham Young and Boise State on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, in Provo, UT. The team will then travel to Tempe, AZ to face Arizona State on Friday, March 19 before returning home.

#13 Clemson 5, South Florida 0

Singles

1. #6 Julie Coin (CU) def. Gabriela Duch (USF) 6-2, 6-1

2. #68 Daniela Alvarez (CU) def. Marie Andrade (USF) 6-2, 6-2

3. T-#91 Maria Brito (CU) def. Patricia Kolendo (USF) 6-3, 6-0

4. Karen Rombouts (CU) def. Luisa Obando (USF) 6-2, 6-1

5. DNP

6. DNP

Doubles

1. #7 Brito/Coin (CU) def. Andrade/Duch (USF) 8-2

2. Alvarez/Ioana Paun (CU) def. Obando/Talia Romero (USF) 8-1

3. Richele LeSaldo/Rombouts (CU) def. Kolendo/Yuri Kurashima (USF) 8-3