TCU
Miami
TCU Hangs Tough With Third-Ranked Miami; Falls 4-3
3/12/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
March 12, 2011
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FORT WORTH - The TCU women's tennis team battled tough with No. 3 Miami, but dropped a tight 4-3 decision Saturday afternoon at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center.
"I thought we played tough today," TCU coach Dave Borelli said. "Miami is really good at No. 1 and No. 2 singles and a very good team. Shalini Sahoo has improved so much this year. I was proud of her today. I think we will gain confidence from this match despite the loss."
The Hurricanes (11-2) struck first Saturday, picking up wins in all three of the doubles matches. Miami's Brittany Dubins and Danielle Mills won the first match of the day, an 8-1 decision at No. 3 doubles over Maria Babanova and Idunn Hertzberg.
TCU, which fell to 2-6, tested the nation's No. 3 squad in the next two matches, but Miami was able to clinch the doubles point with Melissa Bolivar and Gabriela Mejia's 8-6 win over Gaby Mastromarino and Olivia Smith at No. 2 doubles.
In another highly-competitive match at No. 1 doubles, the U's No. 27-ranked duo of Anna Bartenstein and Bianca Eichkorn defeated dropped Federica Denti and Katariina Tuohimaa, 8-7 (5). The TCU tandem fell to 5-3 during the spring season.
Miami extended its lead to 2-0 with No. 75 Bartenstein's 6-2, 6-1 win over Tuohimaa at No. 2 singles. It was the Helsinki, Finland, native's first match away from the No. 1 spot.
The Horned Frogs would not go quietly, though, striking back with Denti's 6-2, 6-3 win over Mills at No. 3 singles. The Bellano, Italy, native won her second-straight match and improved to 3-4 for the spring.
Playing against her former team, TCU's Smith was unable to hold off Miami's 10th-ranked Eichkorn, who picked up a 6-2, 6-2 win. The Bath, England, native came to Fort Worth after spending a semester at Miami and played her first match of the year at No. 1 singles.
TCU brought the score to 3-2 when Sahoo picked up a 6-3, 6-3 triumph over Dubins of Miami at No. 6 singles. Sahoo is 4-4 this spring with back-to-back singles wins.
The Hurricanes were able to score the four needed points with Mejia's 7-5, 6-3 win over Hertzberg at No. 5 singles.
After the completion of the match at No. 5 singles, Mastromarino and Bolivar went into a super-tiebreaker format in place of a third set at No. 4 singles. The Tequesta, Fla., native scored another TCU win with her 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (10-3) win. Mastromarino improved to 4-2 this spring.
The Frogs return to action March 17 when they complete their six-match homestand with a visit from Kentucky. First serve is set for 2 p.m.
Match Results -- #3 Miami 4, TCU 3
March 12, 2011
Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center - Fort Worth, Texas
SINGLES
1. #10 Bianca Eichkorn (UM) def. Olivia Smith (TCU) 6-2, 6-2
2. #75 Anna Bartenstein (UM) def. Katariina Tuohimaa (TCU) 6-2, 6-1
3. Federica Denti (TCU) def. Danielle Mills (UM) 6-2, 6-3
4. Gaby Mastromarino (TCU) def. Melissa Bolivar (UM) 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (10-3)
5. Gabriela Mejia (UM) def. Idunn Hertzberg (TCU) 7-5, 6-3
6. Shalini Sahoo (TCU) def. Brittany Dubins (UM) 6-3, 6-3
DOUBLES
1. #27 Anna Bartenstein/Bianca Eichkorn (UM) def. Federica Denti/Katariina Tuohimaa (TCU) 8-7 (7-5)
2. Melissa Bolivar/Gabriela Mejia (UM) def. Gaby Mastromarino/Olivia Smith (TCU) 8-6
3. Brittany Dubins/Danielle Mills (UM) def. Maria Babanova/Idunn Hertzberg (TCU) 8-1
Match Notes:
Miami 11-2; National ranking #3
TCU 2-6
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (2,3,1,6,5,4)
Weather: 73F, Sunny, Winds W 5-10 MPH
T-3h, 36m A-160
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