Update: University of Virginia and University of Michigan will square off at the ITA National Quarterfinals…
The women’s tennis team from University of Michigan, ranked fifth, defeated California 4–2 at the Nordstrom Tennis Center to advance to the ITA National Indoor Team Championship quarterfinals, where it will play University of Virginia, ranked eleventh, today. At the Nordstrom Tennis Center in Seattle, Washington, the UVA women’s tennis team upset Pepperdine, ranked sixth.
With the victory, Michigan made it to the ITA National Team Indoor Championship quarterfinals for the second year in a row. Since the ITA National Team Indoor Championship, Michigan and Virginia have squared off four times. This will be Virginia and Michigan’s second meeting in a span of seven days. Last Saturday, February 3, the Wolverines triumphed 5-2 in Ann Arbor.
In just over an hour, Lily Jones led Michigan to a 6-1, 6-1 victory at No. 5, rapidly bringing the team to a 1-1 lead. Hannah Viller Moeller was defeated by Kari Miller 7-5, 6-1, ending Cal’s advantage. Miller trailed 4-1 early in the opening set due to an early deficit. After fending off three set points at 4-5, the Wolverine won the last three points of play to end the set at 5-5. To seal the opening set, she held on in the following game and broke Viller Moeller. In the second, Miller dominated and easily won 6-1 to earn Michigan’s second point.
The Wolverines would win a minimum of a third set since Michigan would need to win two of its last games.
Gala Mesochoritou lost the first set but won the second, going up 1-0 to advance to the third. Katja Wiersholm turned the challenge around, winning five straight games and taking the return serve to end the match. Mesochoritou won 7-2 and set up a pivotal third set after forcing the tiebreak with the break she needed.
After falling to Jessica Alsola 6-4 in the opening set, Julia Fliegner trailed 4-1 in the second. Fliegner was more active after that, winning five games in a row to win a third set.
With a set up against her, rookie Piper Charney lost her second set 5-3 but bounced back to win three straight games and earn the right to serve for the match. At the bottom of the lineup, there would be a tiebreaker as she was unable to convert. Throughout the transition, there were swings in momentum, with Charney leading by four match points. None of them could she overcome, and Lan Mi won the last three points to win 11–9.
At No. 4, Mesochoritou established early control over the third set by breaking at 2-1 and building on the break in the following game. Fliegner overcame an early break and a 2-0 disadvantage to take a 4-2 lead after winning four games in a row. Played on adjacent courts, Charney was behind 3-1 going into his third set at No. 6.
After his opponent called a lengthy medical stoppage at 4-1, Mesochoritou prevailed in the following two games to complete a 2-6, 7-6 (2), 6-1 triumph at No. 4 to take a 3-2 lead in Michigan. Fliegner’s match came back to serve at 4-4 at the same moment. Mesochoritou gave the Wolverines a 3-3 stalemate after Charney overcame an early 3-1 deficit. For Michigan’s fourth point, Charney has won the previous five games at No. 6 with scores of 6-1, 6-7 (9), 6-3.
With the victory, UM made it to the ITA National Team Indoor Championship quarterfinals for the second year in a row.
Women who are single:
9th No. No. 21: Kari Miller (UM) d. Hannah Viller Moeller (Calif.), No. 18, 7-5, 6-1 No. 22 versus Julia Fliegner (UM). Jessica Alsola (California), 4-6, 6-4, 5-5, No. 51 abandoned Jaedan Brown (UM) d. Valentina Ivanov (Cal), 7-6 (1), 6-0 No. 124 No. 19 Gala Mesochoritou (UM) d. California’s Katja Wiersholm, 2-6, 7-6 (2), 6-1 No. 57 Mao Mushika (Cal) d. Lily Jones (UM), 6-1, 6-1 No. 6. No. 71 Piper Charney (UM) d. 6-1, 6-7 (9), 6-4 Lan Mi (Cal
Ladies’ doubles:
No. 5 Hannah Viller Moeller/Mao Mushika (Cal) vs. Jaedan Brown/Kari Miller (UM), 6-6 abandoned
Anna Ross/Lily Jones (UM) d. Jessica Alsola/Valentina Ivanov (Cal), 7–6 (5)
Catja Wiersholm/Berta Passola Folch (Cal) d. Reese Miller/Piper Charney (UM), 7–5.
5-2 was Virginia’s victory over Pepperdine. The first two doubles courts were divided between Virginia and Pepperdine, therefore the third court will decide the outcome. To seal the point, sophomore Annabelle Xu defeated senior Sara Ziodato 7-5 on court three.
On court six in singles, sophomore Mélodie Collard defeated her opponent 6-2, 6-4 to give UVA a 2-0 lead. On courts one and three, the Waves prevailed in straight sets to even the score at 2-2.
Tiebreakers were initiated simultaneously by Ziodato and junior Elaine Chervinsky to determine who would win their second set. Chervinsky triumphed 7-3, and Ziodato won 7-5 right after. Two seconds later, senior Hibah Shaikh concluded her third set on the court, earning UVA its fifth point.
Shaikh defeating No. 6 The best-ranked player she overcame during her time in college was Savannah Broadus.
Women who are single:
#101 defeats #15 Lisa Zaar (PEPP). Virginia’s Annabelle Xu 6-1, 6-3 #41. VA’s Hibah Shaikh defeated #6. Broadus Savannah (PEPP) 3-6, 6-2, 6-1
Natasha Subhash (VA) lost against Janice Tjen (PEPP) 6-2, 6-4.
#72 VA’s Sara Ziodato defeated #106 PEPP’s Nikki Redelijk 6-3, 7-6 (7-5)
VA’s Elaine Chervinsky defeated #89 PEPP’s Anna Campana won 6-4 and 7-6 (7-3).
#93 Jasmine Conway (PEPP) lost against Melodie Collard (VA) 6-2, 6-4.
Ladies’ doubles:
#4 #44 is won by Savannah Broadus/Janice Tjen (PEPP). Melodie Collard and Elaine Chervinsky (VA) 6-1
#60 Nikki Redelijk and Anna Campana (PEPP) lose to Hibah Shaikh and Natasha Subhash (VA). 6-1
Sara Ziodato and Annabelle Xu (VA) defeated Lisa Zaar and Jasmine Conway (PEPP) 7–5.
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