Women’s Tennis Falls to #5 Miami On Sunday, 6-1

April 2, 2006

CORAL GABLES, FL – The Clemson women’s tennis team, ranked #24, dropped a 6-1 decision to fifth-ranked Miami on Sunday in Coral Gables, FL. The loss dropped the Tigers to 12-5 overall and 5-2 in the ACC, while the Hurricanes improved their overall record to 15-4 with a 7-1 mark against conference opponents.

Clemson’s 49th-ranked team of Daniela Alvarez and Alexandra Luc won at the flight two position over #45 Audrey Banada and Monika Dancevic, 8-6, for the Tigers lone victory in the doubles competition. Miami’s 10th-ranked duo of Melissa Applebaum and Audra Cohen won an 8-4 decision over Carol Salge and Federica van Adrichem, ranked #9 in the Fila/ITA doubles poll, at the top doubles position. The Hurricanes’ Caren Seenauth and Patricia Starzyk then clinched the point for Miami, defeating Maria Brito and Kathi Gerber, 8-4, at flight three.

Miami then overpowered the Tigers in singles play, winning five of the six match-ups. Cohen, ranked #3 in the nation, defeated Alvarez at the flight one position by a score of 6-1, 6-1, and then #102 Applebaum won a 6-2, 6-2 decision over 45th-ranked van Adrichem at flight three. Clemson’s Brito fell in the flight four contest by a 7-6,(4), 6-1 margin to Starzyk and Alexandra Luc suffered a loss to #83 Banada of Miami at flight five, 6-3, 6-2. The Hurricanes then led 6-0 as Caren Seenauth defeated Kathi Gerber, 6-0, 6-3, in the flight six match.

The Tigers avoided the sweep as Salge won a three-set battle at the flight two position. She won the first set over Dancevic, 6-4, but fell 7-6 in the second set. In a third-set tie break, Salge claimed a 10-7 decision to post her 19th win of the year.

Clemson will return to action next weekend as they travel to Duke and North Carolina. The Tigers and Blue Devils will meet on Saturday, Apr. 8, and Clemson will face the Tar Heels on Sunday. Both matches are scheduled to begin at 1 PM.

#5 Miami 6, #24 Clemson 1 Doubles 2. #49 Daniela Alvarez/Alexandra Luc (CU) def. #45 Audrey Banada/Monika Dancevic (UM) 8-6 3. Caren Seenauth/Patricia Starzyk (UM) def. Maria Brito/Kathi Gerber (CU) 8-4Singles 1. #3 Audra Cohen (UM) def. Daniela Alvarez (CU) 6-1, 6-0 2. #125 Carol Salge (CU) def. Monika Dancevic (UM) 6-4, 6-7, 1-0 (10-7) 3. #102 Melissa Applebaum (UM) def. #45 F. van Adrichem (CU) 6-2, 6-2 4. Patricia Starzyk (UM) def. #113 Maria Brito (CU) 7-6 (7-4), 6-1 5. #83 Audrey Banada (UM) def. Alexandra Luc (CU) 6-3, 6-2 6. Caren Seenauth (UM) def. Kathi Gerber (CU) 6-0, 6-3 Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (1,3,4,5,6,2)