Michigan
Michigan Invitational (Day 2)
Tatsuno, Sulahian Shine on Day Two of Michigan Invitational
1/18/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Varsity Tennis Center)
Event: Michigan Invitational (Day 2)
Scoring: No Team Scoring
Next U-M Match: Monday, Jan. 19 -- host Michigan Invitational - Day 3 (Varsity Tennis Center), Noon
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 19-ranked University of Michigan women's tennis team continued play at the seventh annual Michigan Invitational on Sunday (Jan. 18) at the Varsity Tennis Center, with sophomore Rika Tatsuno(Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif./Palos Verdes Peninsula HS) and freshman Michelle Sulahian(Valley Glen, Calif./Campbell Hall HS) leading the way for the host Wolverines by going undefeated in both singles and doubles action.
Sulahian began the day with a hard-fought 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 triumph over Tennessee's Katie Lee, marking her first win in her last seven tries. Sulahian stands at 6-6 overall in her first season at U-M. Tatsuno earned perhaps her biggest victory of the year in the afternoon session, upsetting Duke's No. 48-ranked Amanda Granson by a convincing score of 6-3, 6-2. Tatsuno holds a team-best 8-3 overall record and has won four straight matches dating back to Nov. 9.
After knocking off the nation's No. 21-ranked player on Saturday (Jan. 17), senior Chisako Sugiyama(Parsippany, N.J./The Montclair Kimberley Academy) handed Duke's No. 43-ranked Ellah Nze a 7-6(3), 6-4 loss to move her overall record to 6-5. With today's victory, Sugiyama became just the third Wolverine in the 36-year history of the program to achieve at least 90 career singles wins.
Sulahian and Tatsuno rebounded from yesterday's tough doubles loss to Tennessee by soundly defeating Vanderbilt's Hannah Blatt and Catherine Newman by an 8-4 margin to improve to 5-4 overall this season. Senior Lindsey Howard(Richmond, Va./Mills E. Godwin HS) and sophomore Whitney Taney(Edina, Minn./Edina HS) were victorious for the second time in as many days, earning an 8-4 decision over Vanderbilt's Chelsea Preeg and Keilly Ulery.
The Wolverines wrap up competition at the Michigan Invitational on Monday (Jan. 19). U-M will face Duke in doubles beginning at noon and will follow with singles play against Tennessee.
Following are match-by-match results from Day 2 of the Michigan Invitational:
SINGLES
1. #21 Jackie Wu (Vanderbilt) d. #92 Caitlin Whoriskey (Tennessee), 6-3, 6-2
2. #84 Keilly Ulery (Vanderbilt) d. Natalie Pluskota (Tennessee), 3-6, 6-1, 7-5
3. #80 Chelsea Preeg (Vanderbilt) d. Jennifer Meredith (Tennessee), 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
4. Zsofia Zubor (Tennessee) d. Heather Steinbauer (Vanderbilt), 7-5, 6-4
5. #77 Samantha Orlin (Tennessee) d. Hannah Blatt (Vanderbilt), 6-2, 4-6, 6-3
6. Rosalia Alda (Tennessee) d. Lindsey Howard (Michigan), 6-3, 6-1
7. Michelle Sulahian (Michigan) d. Katie Lee (Tennessee), 6-2, 2-6, 6-4
1. Chisako Sugiyama (Michigan) d. #43 Ellah Nze (Duke), 7-6(3), 6-4
2. Rika Tatsuno (Michigan) d. #48 Amanda Granson (Duke), 6-3, 6-2
3. #56 Reka Zsilinszka (Duke) d. Tania Mahtani (Michigan), 7-5, 6-2
4. Melissa Mang (Duke) d. Whitney Taney (Michigan), 6-3, 6-2
5. Jessi Robinson (Duke) d. Kari Wig (Michigan), 6-4, 6-2
DOUBLES
1. Rosalia Alda/Maria Sorbello (Tennessee) d. Amanda Granson/Jessi Robinson (Duke), 8-3
2. Jennifer Meredith/Natalie Pluskota (Tennessee) d. Melissa Mang/Reka Zsilinszka (Duke), 8-4
1. Heather Steinbauer/Jackie Wu (Vanderbilt) d. #51 Tania Mahtani/Chisako Sugiyama (Michigan), 8-5
2. Lindsey Howard/Whitney Taney (Michigan) d. Chelsea Preeg/Keilly Ulery (Vanderbilt), 8-4
3. Michelle Sulahian/Rika Tatsuno (Michigan) d. Hannah Blatt/Catherine Newman (Vanderbilt), 8-4
Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 645-0045
Players Mentioned
