University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Downed 7-0 by 18th-Ranked Tar Heels
1/24/2010 12:00:00 AM | Tennis
Playing without two of its top players and facing the nation's 18th-ranked team were major obstacles for the Minnesota women's tennis team in its first loss of the year with a 7-0 setback to North Carolina on Sunday at the Baseline Tennis Center.
The Tar Heels won all six singles matches in straight sets and took the doubles point behind the strength of three ranked tandems to sweep the Gophers and improve to 3-0 for the season. Minnesota, ranked 69th nationally, fell to 2-1 overall after beating 28th-ranked Kentucky on Friday.
Minnesota played without No. 1 singles player Alessandra Ferrazzi and No. 3 competitor Alexa Palen, who were both injured. Palen competed in doubles with Doron Muravnik and suffered an 8-0 loss to Katrina Tsang and Shinann Featherston at No. 2. At No. 1 doubles, Jackie Sperling and Tijana Koprivica took a pair of games from eighth-ranked Sanaz Marand and Sophie Grabinski in an 8-2 loss, while Magdalena Wiecha and Mariana Spilca fell to 28th-ranked Jocelyn Ffriend and Haley Hamm at No. 3.
Wiecha had Minnesota's best singles performance, battling Zoe De Bruycker to a 6-2, 7-5 loss at No. 4.
Sperling had a strong start against Marand at No. 2 singles, taking three of the first five games from the nation's 25th-ranked player and NCAA quarterfinalist from last season. However, Sanaz took over from that point in a 6-3, 6-1 win.
Grabinski had North Carolina's first win with a 6-1, 6-1 triumph over Spilca at No. 5 and Jelena Durisic followed with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Muravnik at No. 3. Marand's win over Sperling clinched the Tar Heels' team victory.
Featherston defeated the Gophers' Peta Forstyh 6-3, 6-0 at No. 6 singles and Tsang downed Koprivica 6-2, 6-2 at No. 1. Tsang entered the match ranked 100th individually and Koprivica was ranked 111th.
Minnesota will travel to Lincoln, Neb. next weekend for non-conference matches against Wichita State on Saturday and Nebraska on Sunday.
#18 North Carolina 7, #69 Minnesota 0
Jan 24, 2010 at Minneapolis, Minn.
Singles
1. #100 Katrina Tsang (UNC) def. #111 Tijana Koprivica (MINN) 6-2, 6-2
2. #25 Sanaz Marand (UNC) def. Jackie Sperling (MINN) 6-3, 6-1
3. Jelena Durisic (UNC) def. Doron Muravnik (MINN) 6-1, 6-3
4. Zoe De Bruycker (UNC) def. Magdalena Wiecha (MINN) 6-2, 7-5
5. Sophie Grabinski (UNC) def. Mariana Spilca (MINN) 6-1, 6-1
6. Shinann Featherston (UNC) def. Peta Forsyth (MINN) 6-3, 6-0
Doubles
1. #8 Sophie Grabinski/Sanaz Marand (UNC) def. Tijana Koprivica/Jackie Sperling (MINN) 8-2
2. #22 Katrina Tsang/Shinann Featherston (UNC) def. Doron Muravnik/Alexa Palen (MINN) 8-0
3. #28 Jocelyn Ffriend/Haley Hamm (UNC) def. Mariana Spilca/Magdalena Wiecha (MINN) 8-3
Match Notes:
North Carolina 3-0; National ranking #18
Minnesota 2-1; National ranking #69
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (5,3,2,6,1,4)
Players Mentioned
