Michigan
Wisconsin
Michigan Drops Tight Conference Match at Wisconsin
3/27/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
MADISON, Wis. -- The No. 39 University of Michigan women's tennis team suffered a narrow 4-3 defeat to No. 45 Wisconsin Sunday afternoon (March 27) at the Nielsen Tennis Stadium. The Wolverines (6-8, 1-2 Big Ten) took an early 3-0 lead in the match by earning a doubles sweep and two straight singles victories at Nos. 5 and 6, but the Badgers (9-4, 2-1 Big Ten) stormed back and won the four remaining matches to steal the team win.
Michigan's 13th-ranked tandem of senior Michelle DaCosta (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne HS) and sophomore Kara Delicata (LaSalle, Ontario/Sandwich Secondary) provided the early momentum in doubles with an 8-5 victory over Lindsay Martin and Katie McGaffigan at No. 1. The U-M pair has won five of its last six matches and improves to 9-4 on the dual match season.
The Wolverines clinched the doubles point with a pair of 9-8(5) victories at Nos. 2 and 3. Senior Leanne Rutherford (Calgary, Alberta/National Sports School) and freshman Allie Shafner (Englewood, Colo./Cherry Creek HS) defeated Caitlin Burke and Kaylan Caiati, while junior Debra Streifler (Highland Park, Ill./Highland Park HS) and sophomore Elizabeth Exon (Irvine, Calif./Woodridge HS) slipped by Nicole Beck and Chelsea Nusslock.
For the second straight match, Streifler and junior Nina Yaftali (Westlake Village, Calif./Westlake HS) were responsible for Michigan's only wins in singles. Streifler notched her seventh consecutive victory, defeating Beck 6-2, 6-2 at No. 5. Yaftali extended her winning streak to three matches by earning a 7-6(4), 6-0 decision over Nusslock at No. 6.
Following Yaftali's victory, the Wolverines suffered three straight singles losses at Nos. 2-4 to allow Wisconsin to draw even in the match at 3-3. In the decisive match at No. 1, the 93rd-ranked McGaffigan rebounded from a 6-0 setback in the first set to take the final two frames, 6-3, 6-4, to upset No. 50 DaCosta and seal the team victory for the Badgers.
The Wolverines return home to host Iowa on Saturday (April 2) and Minnesota on Sunday (April 3). Both matches are scheduled for an 11 a.m. start at the Varsity Tennis Center.
Following are match-by-match results:
Singles
No. 1 -- #93 Katie McGaffigan (UW) d. #50 Michelle DaCosta, 0-6, 6-4, 6-3
No. 2 -- #100 Caitlin Burke (UW) d. Elizabeth Exon, 6-0, 6-2
No. 3 -- Lindsay Martin (UW) d. Kara Delicata, 6-0, 2-6, 7-6(3)
No. 4 -- Kaylan Caiati (UW) d. Leanne Rutherford, 6-3, 6-4
No. 5 -- Debra Streifler (U-M) d. Nicole Beck, 6-2, 6-2
No. 6 -- Nina Yaftali (U-M) d. Chelsea Nusslock, 7-6(4), 6-0
Doubles
No. 1 -- #13 DaCosta/Delicata (U-M) d. Martin/McGaffigan, 8-5
No. 2 -- Allie Shafner/Rutherford (U-M) d. Burke/Caiati, 9-8(5)
No. 3 -- Exon/Streifler (U-M) d. Beck/Nusslock, 9-8(5)
Order of Completion: Doubles 1-3-2, Singles 5-6-2-4-3-1
Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
