Michigan
Minnesota
Another Sweep: Michigan Blows Out Minnesota
3/30/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Site: Minneapolis, Minn. (Baseline Tennis Center)
Score: Michigan 7, Minnesota 0
Records: U-M (10-4, 3-1 Big Ten), Minnesota (11-6, 1-3 Big Ten)
Next U-M Match: Friday, April 4 -- vs. Illinois (Varsity Tennis Center), 6 p.m.
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- The No. 29-ranked University of Michigan women's tennis team extended its winning streak to eight matches with a 7-0 shutout victory over Minnesota Sunday afternoon (March 30) at the Baseline Tennis Center. The Wolverines (10-4, 3-1 Big Ten) captured their eighth straight doubles point and won all six singles matches for the fourth time in a row. U-M has dropped just one of 48 singles matches dating back to Feb. 22.
Junior Lindsey Howard(Richmond, Va./Mills E. Godwin HS) and freshman Rika Tatsuno(Rancho Palo Verdes, Calif./Palos Verdes Peninsula HS) kept their perfect record (4-0) at No. 3 doubles intact with an 8-0 pounding of Mikayla Rogers and Jackie Sperling. Michigan's No. 46-ranked tandem of junior Chisako Sugiyama(Parsippany, N.J./The Montclair Kimberley Academy) and sophomore Tania Mahtani(Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif./Palos Verdes Peninsula HS) outlasted Karia Chiarelli and Lindsay Risebrough by a 9-7 score at No. 1 to give the Wolverines a 1-0 lead. Sugiyama and Mahtani have won 10 of 14 matches at the top spot, including six straight dating back to March 14.
The freshman duo of Denise Muresan(Lincolnshire, Ill./Adlai E. Stevenson HS) and Whitney Taney(Edina, Minn./Edina HS) wrapped up U-M's fifth doubles sweep of the season, pulling out an 8-7(3) triumph over Alessandra Ferrazzi and Tijana Koprivica at No. 2. Muresan and Taney hold a 6-1 record in dual-match play.
Michigan never allowed the Golden Gophers a chance to recover, as the Wolverines dominated singles action with straight-set victories on all six courts. Sugiyama and Muresan both improved to 10-4 and extended their respective winning streaks to nine matches, while Howard and Tatsuno both won for the eighth straight time. Taney tallied her eighth win in nine tries at the No. 2 position, and Mahtani remained undefeated at No. 4 (4-0).
The Wolverines return to action this Friday (April 4) when they welcome Illinois to the Varsity Tennis Center for a 6 p.m. match.
Following are match-by-match results:
Singles
No. 1 -- #66 Chisako Sugiyama (U-M) d. Alessandra Ferrazzi, 6-2, 6-4
No. 2 -- Whitney Taney (U-M) d. Lindsay Risebrough, 6-3, 6-0
No. 3 -- Denise Muresan (U-M) d. Tijana Koprivica, 6-1, 6-2
No. 4 -- #106 Tania Mahtani (U-M) d. Karina Chiarelli, 6-0, 7-6(8)
No. 5 -- Rika Tatsuno (U-M) d. Elena Kazakova, 6-0, 6-2
No. 6 -- Lindsey Howard (U-M) d. Jackie Sperling, 6-1, 6-2
Doubles
No. 1 -- #46 Mahtani/Sugiyama (U-M) d. Chiarelli/Risebrough, 9-7
No. 2 -- Muresan/Taney (U-M) d. Ferrazzi/Koprivica, 8-7(3)
No. 3 -- Howard/Tatsuno (U-M) d. Mikayla Rogers/Sperling, 8-0
Order of Completion: Doubles 3-1-2, Singles 5-3-6-2-1-4
Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
