Michigan
Wisconsin
Michigan Drops Big Ten Semifinal Match to Wisconsin
4/27/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The University of Michigan women's tennis team had its impressive run at the 2002 Big Ten Championship come to an end Saturday (April 27) with a 4-3 semifinal loss to No. 2-seeded Wisconsin at the Indiana University Tennis Courts. The sixth-seeded Wolverines (14-10) won the doubles point but saw the Badgers (16-7) rally with four singles victories to earn a title matchup with top-seeded Northwestern.
U-M won the doubles point easily against Wisconsin, claiming victories at No. 1 and No. 3. Freshmen Michelle DaCosta (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne HS) and Leanne Rutherford (Calgary, Alberta/National Sports School) won a commanding 8-1 match against Linde Mues and Lara Vojnov at No. 1. Sophomores Chrissie Nolan (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South HS) and Kavitha Tipirneni (Galloway, Ohio/Hilliard Darby HS) clinched the team point with an 8-5 victory over Katie McGaffigan and Lindsay Martin at No. 3. The match at No. 2 was abandoned once the Wolverines clinched the doubles point.
In singles, the Badgers gained a 6-3, 6-3 win by Lindsay Martin over sophomore Kim Plaushines (Oconomowoc, Wis./Kettle Moraine HS) at No. 6. DaCosta completed an undefeated championship tournament (3-0 record) with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Mues at No. 2. Junior Jen Duprez (Westhampton, N.Y./Westhampton Beach HS) picked up the Wolverines' only other point in the match, winning 6-3, 6-2 against Katie Dougherty at No. 5.
With a 3-1 edge in the match, the Wolverines were unable to reach the championship match as Wisconsin gained three-set victories at No. 1, No. 3 and No. 4 after losing the opening set in each contest. Vanessa Rauh posted a 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 win over Tipirneni at No. 1, Shana McElroy collected a 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory against Nolan at No. 3 and McGaffigan tallied a 6-7(10), 6-1, 6-2 win over Rutherford at No. 4.
U-M awaits selection to the 2002 NCAA Championship field, which will be announced Thursday, May 2, at 7 p.m. EDT. The women's tennis squad will be making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since the 1998 championship.
Following are match-by-match results:
Singles
No. 1 -- Vanessa Rauh (UW) d. Kavitha Tipirneni, 5-7, 6-2, 6-2
No. 2 -- Michelle DaCosta (U-M) d. Linde Mues, 6-4, 6-3
No. 3 -- Shana McElroy (UW) d. Chrissie Nolan, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3
No. 4 -- Katie McGaffigan (UW) d. Leanne Rutherford, 6-7(10), 6-1, 6-2
No. 5 -- Jen Duprez (U-M) d. Katie Dougherty, 6-3, 6-2
No. 6 -- Lindsay Martin (UW) d. Kim Plaushines, 6-3, 6-3
Doubles
No. 1 -- DaCosta/Rutherford (U-M) d. Mues/Lara Vojnov, 8-1
No. 2 -- Duprez/Plaushines (U-M) vs. McGaffigan/Martin (UW) -- abandoned
No. 3 -- Nolan/Tipirneni (U-M) d. Rauh/Dougherty, 8-5
Contact: David Ablauf (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
