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Rosalía Alda
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March 30, 2010
By Donnie Conley, Media Relations Student Assistant
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- The University of Tennessee women's tennis team (11-5, 5-1 SEC) rose one spot to No. 14 in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association Rankings.
The Lady Vols won a road contest at LSU on Friday and capped off the weekend with a 4-3 home victory over No. 22 Arkansas. The defeat of the Razorbacks marked the eighth victory over a top-50 opponent this season.
Doubles play has been a major strength for head coach Mike Patrick's team all season, a fact evidenced by the latest rankings. Three different Lady Vol duos are among the nation's top 66 pairs, including the No. 1-ranked tandem of senior Caitlin Whoriskey and sophomore Natalie Pluskota.
Though they haven't played together in nine matches, Whoriskey and Pluskota's reputation precedes them. The talented duo is the reigning Riviera/ITA All-American Tournament Champions, boasting an overall record of 19-1.
With Pluskota sidelined, Whoriskey has been paired with junior Maria Sorbello. Whoriskey and Sorbello are a perfect 9-0 on the season, losing only eight games in their previous three matches. The talented team is ranked No. 66 in the latest ITA poll.
Also earning a doubles ranking is the team of junior Rosalía Alda and senior Zsófia Zubor, coming in at No. 22 in the polls. The lone Tennessee pair to reach the 20-victory plateau this season, Alda and Zubor have helped the Lady Vols earn the doubles point in 14 of 16 matches this spring.
Whoriskey and Zubor reached a major milestone on Sunday, each earning their 100th career doubles victory in a 4-3 decision over Arkansas.
In singles play, Whoriskey climbed one spot to No. 11 in the national rankings after sweeping LSU's Whitney Wolf, 6-1, 6-1 and Arkansas' Anouk Tigu, 6-4, 6-2 last weekend. Sorbello dropped nine places to No. 67 following a heartbreaking 6-1, 4-6, 5-7 defeat at the hands of Arkansas sophomore Kate Lukomskaya.
Full ratings can be found at www.ITATennis.com. A new team poll is expected to be published on April 6, with updated singles and doubles lists coming out on April 13.
The Lady Vols hit the road for a pair of matches in the Magnolia state this weekend, facing Ole Miss at 3 p.m. CT on Friday before heading to Starkville, Miss. to face off with Mississippi State at 1 p.m. CT on Sunday.
ITA National Rankings (March 30)
Singles
No. 11: Caitlin Whoriskey
No. 67: Maria Sorbello
Doubles
No. 1: Caitlin Whoriskey/Natalie Pluskota
No. 27: Rosalía Alda/Zsófia Zubor
No. 66: Caitlin Whoriskey/Maria Sorbello
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