Women's Tennis Opens Season with Doubleheader Sweep

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CHARLOTTESVILLE – The Virginia women’s tennis team opened its 2010 dual match season by sweeping a doubleheader Sunday at the Boyd Tinsley Courts and the Boar’s Head Sports Club. The No. 26 Cavaliers topped No. 33 Illinois 4-3 and Richmond 7-0.

“We are so proud of this team,” said head coach Mark Guilbeau. “Today was a great day to start the dual match season, especially as we had five first-years getting their first dual match experience today. Not only did they do a great job of competing, but they also led the team both on and off the courts.”

In the first match, the Cavaliers (2-0) edged Illinois (0-2) by a 4-3 score. Virginia captured a key doubles point with wins at No. 1 and No. 2. Lindsey Hardenbergh (Fairfax Station, Va.) and Erin Vierra (Norwell, Mass.) got Virginia on the board with an 8-5 win at No. 2 and Jennifer Stevens (Miami, Fla.) and Emily Fraser (Rye, N.Y.) clinched the opening point with an 8-4 win at No. 1.

Vierra extended the Cavalier lead to 2-0 with her 6-2, 6-1 win over Leigh Finnegan at No. 3 singles. After the Illini cut the lead to 2-1, No. 72 Hardenbergh made the score 3-1 with her 6-4, 6-2 win over 33rd-ranked Rachael White at No. 1 singles. Hana Tomljanovic (Boca Raton. Fla.) clinched the victory with her 6-4, 6-2 win over Breanne Smutko at No. 5 singles.

In the nightcap, the Cavaliers shutout in-state rival Richmond (0-1). Vierra and Hardenbergh won at No. 1 doubles and Tomljanovic and Neela Vaez (Perrysburg, Ohio) won at No. 2 doubles to give Virginia a 1-0 lead. The Cavaliers swept all six singles matches against the Spiders, all in straight sets. Hardenbergh, Stevens, Vierra, Tomljanovic, Katie Gater (Dunblane, Scotland) and Maria Fuccillo (Rockville, Md.) recorded the wins for Virginia.

“I am proud of the leadership of our captains, Emily and Lindsey,” said Guilbeau. “We had a great week of practice and this was the best we have done carry over what we do in practice into matches.”

The Cavaliers travel to Fresno, Calif. next weekend for the ITA Kickoff Weekend, which serves as a qualifying tournament for ITA National Team Indoors. Virginia opens play Saturday against Florida State.

No. 26 Virginia 4, No. 33 Illinois 3

Doubles:
1. Fraser/Stevens (UVa) def. Abajian/Finnegan (Ill) 8-4
2. Hardenbergh/Vierra (UVa) def. White/Lambropoulos (Ill) 8-5
3. Fudge/Smutko (Ill) def. Vaez/Tomljanovic (UVa) 8-7(2)

Singles:
1. #72 Lindsey Hardenbergh (UVa) def. #33 Rachael White (Ill) 6-4, 6-2
2. Megan Fudge (Ill) def. Emily Fraser (UVa) 3-6, 6-4, 10-6
3. Erin Vierra (UVa) def. Leigh Finngean (Ill) 6-2, 6-1
4. Chelcie Abajian (Ill) def. Jennifer Stevens (UVa) 7-5, 6-4
5. Hana Tomljanovic (UVa) def. Breanne Smutko (Ill) 6-4, 6-2
6. Marisa Lambropoulos (Ill) def. Katie Gater (UVa) 6-2, 6-2

Order of Finish:
Doubles: 2,1,3
Singles: 3,6,1,4,5,2

No. 26 Virginia 7, Richmond 0

Doubles:
1. Hardenbergh/Vierra (UVa) def. Clark/Cunningham (UR) 8-4
2. Tomljanovic/Vaez (UVa) def. Tidwell/I. Arana (UR) 8-4
3. Matuszczyk/Smyth (UR) def. Gater/Fuccillo (UVa) 8-3

Singles:
1. #72 Lindsey Hardenbergh (UVa) def. Erin Clark (UR) 6-2, 6-0
2. Jennifer Stevens (UVa) def. Helen Cunningham (UR) 7-5, 6-2
3. Erin Vierra (UVa) def. Kelly Tidwell (UR) 6-1, 6-2
4. Hana Tomljanovic (UVa) def. Joanna Matuszczyk (UR) 6-4, 6-0
5. Katie Gater (UVa) def. Alexandra Smyth (UR) 6-3, 6-3
6. Maria Fuccillo (UVa) def. Isabel Arana (UR) 6-0, 6-0

Order of Finish:
Doubles: 3,1,2
Singles: 6,3,4,1,5,2