Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG, Va. - The Virginia Tech women's tennis team missed a huge upset by the slimmest of margins Sunday afternoon dropping a 4-3 decision to No. 12 Miami. Miami improved to 10-4 overall and 3-2 in the ACC with the win, while the Hokies, ranked No. 47 nationally, fell to 12-7, 0-5.
With the match tied at 3-3, the contest came down to the No. 3 singles event between Tech's Jessica Long (Sr., Elizabethtown, Pa.) against 73rd-ranked Romy Fara. Fara took the first set 6-2, but Long responded by winning the second set 6-3. The deciding third set went the distance with Fara taking the tiebreaker, 9-7, to secure the victory for the Hurricanes.
In other singles results, Tech picked up victories at No. 2 as Yasmin Hamza (Fr., Cairo, Egypt) upset No. 49 Michaela Kissell, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2, and Holly Johnson (Fr., Tallahassee, Fla.) won her No. 6 match, 7-5, 6-4, over Claudia Wasilewski. Miami picked up victories at No. 1 as 21st-ranked Laura Vallerdu defeated Inga Beermann (Jr., Bad Salzuflen, Germany), 6-2, 6-0, and Caren Seenauth defeated J.J. Larson (Sr., Orchard Park, Fla.), 6-3, 6-1, in the No. 4 contest. The Hurricanes other victory occurred in the No. 5 match as No. 104 Bianca Eichkorn defeated Jessica Brouwer (Jr., Maarssen, Netherlands), 6-0, 6-3.
The match opened with the Hokies taking a tight doubles competition for the first point. Beermann/Johnson won the No. 3 match, 8-2, over Kissel/Osborne, but Hamza/Long lost 8-3 at No. 2 to Eichkorn/Vallerdu. With the doubles point hanging in the balance, Brouwer/Larson upset the 55th-ranked duo of Farah/Seenauth, 9-7, in the No. 1 match.
Tech will be on the road next weekend for ACC contests at No. 54 Boston College (Mar. 28) and at Maryland (3/30).
#12 Miami 4, #47 Virginia Tech 3
Singles
1. #21 Laura Vallerdu (UM) def. Inga Beermann (VT) 6-2, 6-0
2. Yasmin Hamza (VT) def. #49 Michaela Kissell (UM) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
3. #73 Romy Fara (UM) def. Jessica Long (VT) 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (7)
4. Caren Seenauth (UM) def. J.J. Larson (VT) 6-3, 6-1
5. #104 Bianca Eichkorn (UM) def. Jessica Brouwer (VT)6-0, 6-3
6. Holly Johnson (VT) def. Claudia Wasilewski (UM)7-5, 6-4
Finishing Order: 3, 2, 5, 6, 2, 3*
Doubles
1. Brouwer/Larson (VT) def. #55 Farah/Seenauth (UM)9-7
2. Eichkorn/Vallerdu (UM) def. Hamza/Long (VT) 8-3
3. Beermann/Johnson (VT) def. Kissel/Osborne (VT)8-2
Finishing Order: 3, 2, 1*
*clinching point