Jan. 17, 2010

By: Lindsey Williford, Media Relations Graduate Assistant

ANN ARBOR, Mich - The University of Tennessee women's tennis team posted a solid effort on the second day of the Michigan Invitational, claiming two singles victories and a doubles win at the Varsity Tennis Center in Ann Arbor, Mich.

The Lady Vols kicked off day two with doubles against teams from the No. 7 University of Miami. The nation's top tandem of senior Caitlin Whoriskey and sophomore Natalie Pluskota breezed through their match against the No. 3 team of Gabriela Majia and Laura Vallverdu 8-2.

Unfortunately, Tennessee's other two teams in action were unable to follow suit. Junior Rosalía Alda and senior Zsófia Zubor were defeated 8-3 by Miami's Anna Bartenstein and Bianca Eichkorn, while sophomore Katie Lee and junior Maria Sorbello were dropped, 8-3 by Danielle Mills and Claudia Wasilewski.

Following doubles, UT took part in singles matches against the University of Michigan. Sorbello, ranked 51st in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association poll, dropped only two games in set one against Rika Tatsuno. Tatsuno, however, wasn't going down without a fight, taking the second set into a tiebreaker. Sorbello hung on to win the tiebreak, 7-2, the set and ultimately the match 6-2, 7-6.

Playing in the fifth roster spot, Zubor had an easier time against the Wolverines' Mimi Nguyen. Zubor lost only six games en-route to a 6-2, 6-4 victory.

In other singles action, a quartet of Lady Vols fought hard but were not quite able to overcome the efforts of their Michigan opponents. No. 36 Whoriskey dropped a 7-5, 6-1 decision to No. 36 Denise Muresan. Pluskota lost her first set 1-6 to Whitney Taney before pulling out of the match due to injury. Alda was topped, 6-2, 6-3, by Tania Mahtani. The final singles match saw UT's Lee fall to Michelle Sulahian, 7-5, 6-3.

Tennessee will return to the courts Monday at 10 a.m. at the Varsity Tennis Center for a round of singles play against the University of Washington. The Lady Vols will then close out their stay at the Michigan Invitational by competing against doubles teams from the host Wolverines. Live stats and video can be found at either www.UTLadyVols.com or www.MGoBlue.com.

SUNDAY RESULTS

SINGLES

1. No. 36 Denise Muresan (Michigan) def. No. 6 Caitlin Whoriskey (UT) - 7-5, 6-1

2. No. 51 Maria Sorbello (UT) def. Rika Tatsuno (Michigan) - 6-2, 7-6 (7-2)

3. Whitney Taney (Michigan) def. Natalie Pluskota (UT) - 6-1, default (injury)

4. Tania Mahtani (Michigan) def. Rosalia Alda (UT) - 6-3, 6-3

5. Zsófia Zubor (UT) def. Mimi Nguyen (Michigan) - 6-2, 6-4

6. Michelle Sulahian (Michigan) def. Katie Lee (UT) - 7-5, 6-3

DOUBLES

1. No. 1 Pluskota/Whoriskey (UT) def. No. 3 Gabriela Mejia/ Laura Vallverdu (Miami) - 8-2

2. Anna Bartenstein/Bianca Eichkorn (Miami) def. Alda/Zubor (UT) - 8-3

3. Danielle Mills/ Claudia Wasilewski (Miami) def. Lee/Sorbello (UT) - 8-3