Jan. 16, 2010

By: Lindsey Williford, Media Relations Graduate Assistant

ANN ARBOR, Mich - With victories in their singles and doubles matches, junior Rosalía Alda and senior Zsófia Zubor paced the No. 11 University of Tennessee women's tennis team on day one of the Michigan Invitational at the Varsity Tennis Center in Ann Arbor, Mich.

The Lady Vols opened the day with singles against members from the seventh-ranked University of Miami. Alda grabbed UT's first victory, a, 6-4, 6-3, triumph over Gabriela Mejia. Zubor, who's first set went into a tiebreak, quickly won set two for a, 7-6, 6-1, defeat over Danielle Mills.

Coming up just short of a singles victory, however, were senior Caitlin Whoriskey, junior Maria Sorbello and sophomores Natalie Pluskota and Katie Lee. The 6th-ranked singles player in the nation, Whoriskey dropped a 1-6, 4-6, decision to No. 7 Laura Vallverdu. Sorbello, ranked 51st, fell in straight sets, 3-6, 3-6, to Vallverdu's teammate, Anna Bartenstein, while Pluskota was defeated, 2-6, 1-6, by No. 99 Bianca Eichkorn. Lee lost to Claudia Wasilewskie, 6-7, 0-6.

After a short break, Alda and Zubor resumed their winning ways after teaming together for doubles against Washington. Playing in the number two roster spot, the Tennessee tandem dropped only one game to the Huskies Aleksandra Malovic and Lina Xu for the 8-1 victory. Playing in her first doubles match of her sophomore season, Lee paired with fellow Australian Sorbello to claim an 8-0 rout over Aleksandra Krsljanin and Vanja Radunovic. To complete the doubles sweep, the country's No. 1 doubles team, Whoriskey and Pluskota, fought back from its 3-6 deficit to capture the 8-6 win against Venise Chan and Samanta Smith.

Tennessee will begin the second day of action by facing Miami again, this time for doubles beginning at 1 p.m. Singles versus Michigan will follow. Live stats and video can be found at www.UTLadyVols.com or www.MGoBlue.com.

SATURDAY RESULTS

SINGLES

1. No. 7 Laura Vallverdu (Miami) def. No. 6 Caitlin Whoriskey (UT) - 1-6, 4-6

2. Anna Bartenstein (Miami) def. No. 51 Maria Sorbello (UT) - 3-6, 3-6

3. No. 99 Bianca Eichkorn (Miami) def. Natalie Pluskota (UT) - 2-6, 1-6

4. Rosalia Alda (UT) def. Gabriela Mejia (Miami) - 6-4, 6-3

5. Zsofia Zubor (UT) def. Danielle Mills (Miami) - 7-6, 6-1

6. Claudia Wasilewski (Miami) def. Katie Lee (UT) -6-7, 0-6

DOUBLES

1. No. 1 Pluskota/Whoriskey (UT) def. Venise Chan/Samantha Smith (Washington) - 8-6

2. Alda/Zubor (UT) def. Aleksandra Malovic/ Lina Xu (Washington) - 8-1

3. Lee/Sobello (UT) def. Aleksandra Krsljanin/Vanja Radunovic (Washington) - 8-0