Women's Tennis Clinches Commonwealth Challenge With Victory Over Tech
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March 15, 2007
CHARLOTTESVILLE – Even a change of venue couldn’t prevent the No. 62 Virginia (7-5, 1-2) women’s tennis team from snapping their three-match losing streak and clinching the Commonwealth Challenge presented by Comcast. After rain forced a move indoors, the Cavaliers defeated rival Virginia Tech (8-6, 0-3), 6-1, to win their first Atlantic Coast Conference match of the season.
The match was worth one point in the Commonwealth Challenge. With the victory, Virginia now leads the all sports competition between the schools 11.5-5.5. With 22 points awarded in the challenge, the women’s tennis victory clinches the challenge for the Cavaliers. Virginia has won the challenge in both years since its inception in 2005-06.
Virginia got wins at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles to claim the opening point. Lara Alexander (London, England) and Caroline Hammond (Williamsburg, Va.) downed Jessica Brouwer and Ashley James, 8-3, to win the first completed doubles match. The team of Jennifer Stevens (Miami, Fla.) and Amanda Rales (Bethesda, Md.) defeated Jessica Long and Abbey Walker, 8-3, at the No. 2 position to clinch the doubles point. In the other doubles match it was sister against sister as first-year Brintney Larson faced off against her older sister, J.J. After Larson and Maggie Yahner (Las Vegas, Nev.) came back from an early 4-0 deficit to lead 5-4, the older Larson and Inga Beerman countered to win the match.
The Cavaliers won five of the six doubles matches to finish off their strong effort. Lindsey Pereira (Arlington, Texas), Stevens, Rales, and Hammond all put together straight set victories, while first-year Brintney Larson (Orchard Park, N.Y.) won a tough three set match against Karina Porushkevich.
The Cavaliers return to action next Friday when they take on NC State at the Snyder Tennis Center.
No. 62 Virginia 6, No. 67 Virginia Tech 1
Singles
1. Jennifer Stevens (UVa) def. Inga Beermann (VT) 6-3, 6-2
2. Brintney Larson (UVa) def. Karina Porushkevich (VT) 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-1
3. Jessica Long (VT) def. Maggie Yahner (UVa) 6-3, 6-0
4. Lindsey Pereira (UVa) def. Ashley James (VT) 6-2, 6-2
5. Caroline Hammond (UVa) def. J.J. Larson (VT) 6-0, 7-5
6. Amanda Rales (UVa) def. Abbey Walker (VT) 6-2, 6-2
Order of finish: 3, 1, 4, 6, 2, 5
Doubles
1. Beermann/Larson (VT) d. Larson/Yahner (UVa) 8-6
2. Rales/Stevens (UVa) def. Long/Walker (VT) 8-3
3. Alexander/Hammond (UVa) def. Jessica Brouwer/A. James (VT) 8-3
Order of finish: 3, 2, 1