CORAL GABLES, Fla. (May 13, 2011) - The FIU tennis team (13-7) fell to the Miami Hurricanes (19-6), 4-0, during the first round of the 2011 NCAA Tournament on Friday, May 13, in Coral Gables, Fla.
"I am proud of the girls," Head Coach Melissa Applebaum-Dall'au said. "As a team, we have grown so much from the beginning of the season to today. I'm exceptionally proud of how we fought today against a very good team."
Making their eighth appearance in the NCAA Tournament, the Panthers faced the No. 5-ranked and regional host Miami with the winner facing the Texas Longhorns on Saturday, May 14 at 11:00 a.m.
UM jumped out to a 1-0 lead, taking the doubles point as seniors Liset Brito and Maria Spenceley fell to Bianca Eichkorn and Anna Bartenstein (No. 5), 8-4, and the duo of Christine Seredni and Lisa Johnson lost to Brittany Dubins and Danielle Mills, 8-6.
FIU battled in singles competition taking early leads in four of the six matches however, the Hurricanes held off the Panthers attack to win three-consecutive contests and advance to the second round on Saturday.
Freshman Giulietta Boha lost to Melissa Bolivar, 6-3, 6-0, as UM took a 2-0 lead. The Panthers fell behind 3-0, following Kayla Rizzolo's (No. 125) defeat of Spenceley, 6-3, 6-2. Miami clinched the match when Mills defeated Rita Maisak, 7-5, 6-3.
With the loss, FIU finishes the 2011 season with a 13-7 record. The Panthers earned the team's second conference title in the last three seasons, while Applebaum-Dall'au earned the Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year honor.
Brito will next compete in the 2011 NCAA Division I Individual Championships beginning May 25 in Stanford, Calif. The Miami, Fla., native is one of 64 tennis players who will take part in this year's individual championships.
Tennis Match Results
FIU Panthers vs Miami Hurricanes
May 13, 2011 at Coral Gables, Fla.
#5 Miami 4, #64 FIU Panthers 0
Singles competition
1. #6 Bianca Eichkorn (UM) def. #62 Brito, Liset (FIU) 0-6, 7-5, 2-1 (DNF)
2. #36 Anna Bartenstein (UM) def. Johnson, Lisa (FIU) 2-6, 6-1, 3-1 (DNF)
3. Gabriela Mejia (UM) def. Seredni, Christine (FIU) 6-3, 5-2 (DNF)
4. #125 Kayla Rizzolo (UM) def. Spenceley, Maria (FIU) 6-3, 6-2
5. Danielle Mills (UM) def. Maisak, Rita (FIU) 7-5, 6-3
6. Melissa Bolivar (UM) def. Boha, Giulietta (FIU) 6-3, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. #5 Bianca Eichkorn/Anna Bartenstein (UM) def. Brito, Liset/Spenceley, Maria (FIU) 8-4
2. Gabriela Mejia/Melissa Bolivar (UM) def. Maisak, Rita/Boha, Giulietta (FIU) 6-3 (DNF)
3. Brittany Dubins/Danielle Mills (UM) def. Seredni, Christine/Johnson, Lisa (FIU) 8-6
Match Notes:
FIU Panthers 13-7; National ranking #64
Miami 19-6; National ranking #5
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (6,4,5)
NCAA Women's Tennis Championship - Round 1
Official: Jason Pardon
