Ruiz, Tigers Win in Thrilling Fashion Friday at No. 22 Virginia

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – For the second week in a row, senior Daniela Ruizled the Clemson women’s tennis team to a thrilling ACC victory, this time, a 4-3 upset over No. 22 Virginia on the road in Charlottesville, on Friday afternoon. It was a crucial conference win for the Tigers, who improved to 13-11 (6-7 ACC), while the Cavaliers dropped to 14-7 (8-5 ACC).

Clemson won the doubles point for the 13th time this season, but the first time in the last five dual matches. Sydney Riley and Daniela Ruiz opened with a convincing 6-1 win at No. 3 doubles, before the Cavaliers won at No. 2. Marie-Alexandre Leduc and Fernanda Navarro, ranked 33rd nationally, upset 16th-ranked Rosie Johanson and Meghan Kelley 7-5 at No. 1 to clinch the doubles point. It was the fifth time that Leduc and Navarro have claimed the doubles point for the Tigers this season.

Virginia took a 2-1 lead after winning the first two singles matches, at No. 3 and No. 1, in that order. Riley tied the team score with a three-set, come-from-behind win at No. 5, 2-6, 6-1, 6-1. After the Cavaliers won at No. 4 singles, Navarro evened the score again for the Tigers, winning 6-4, 6-4 at No. 2.

With the match tied at 3-3, the result was left in the hands of Ruiz at No. 6 singles. The native of Beni, Bolivia won the first set 6-0 and lost the second 5-7, and was headed to a third set against the Cavaliers’ Erica Susi. The two players traded points in the third set, ultimately leading to a score of 6-6 and a tiebreak, which Ruiz won handily, 7-2. It was the second-straight Friday that Ruiz clinched a 4-3 ACC victory for the Tigers, as she also did so on April 13 in a 4-3 Clemson home win over Louisville, which was also her senior day. The three-year team captain has been responsible for clinching the win in Clemson’s last three victories.

The Tigers next travel from Charlottesville, Va. down to Atlanta, Ga. for an April 22 contest against third-ranked Georgia Tech. First serve between Clemson and the Yellow Jackets is set for 2 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.