Sept. 18, 2008

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee women's tennis team will open the fall portion of its 2008 schedule this weekend when it travels to Charlottesville, Va., to compete in the second annual University of Virginia Invitational. The three-day competition will begin on Fri., Sept. 19 at the Snyder Tennis Center.

The Lady Vols will face a field containing players from seven other schools, including Virginia, South Carolina, Marshall, North Carolina State, Virginia Commonwealth, Old Dominion and UNC-Greensboro.

Leading the way for the Big Orange will be junior Caitlin Whoriskey who enters the tournament ranked as the No. 37 singles player in the nation after holding down the top spot in the lineup for UT during the 2007-08 campaign. The East Sandwich, Mass., native put together a 16-9 overall record during her second year at Rocky Top, including a 12-6 mark in dual-match play and a 4-3 record in tournament action. She also accumulated five of UT's eight singles victories over ranked opponents last year.

In doubles action, UT will be paced by the duo of Whoriskey and sophomore Maria Sorbello. Despite the fact that they have never teamed up in competition, the tandem will head into the 2008 fall season ranked No. 33 in the nation. Last season, Whoriskey compiled an impressive 25-13 doubles record with fellow classmate Zsófia Zubor, including seven victories in as many days en route to winning the doubles title at the prestigious Riviera/ITA All-American Championships. A native of Mackay, Australia, Sorbello, meanwhile, will don the Orange and White for the first time in 2008 after serving a year of residency and redshirting last year at Rocky Top.

Also competing for UT in Charlottesville will be senior Sam Orlin, Zubor, sophomores Jennifer Meredith and Rosalía Alda and freshman Natalie Pluskota.

Following this weekend's action, Tennessee will hit the road once again to take part in the Furman Fall Classic in Greeneville, S.C., from Sept. 27-30. The Lady Vols will be without Whoriskey and Sorbello in that tournament, however, as the pairing will be on its way to Pacific Palisades, Calif., to compete in the ITA All-American Championships, Sept. 30-Oct. 5. Whoriskey earned a spot in the main qualifying singles draw and will attempt to repeat as doubles champion with a new teammate in Sorbello.