April 5, 2008

CLEMSON, SC - The Clemson women's tennis team won its fourth straight match and hit the .500 mark for the first time since early February, downing Virginia Tech 6-1 on Saturday morning at the Clemson Indoor Tennis Center.

The Tigers, now 9-9 overall and 5-3 in the ACC, will try for their 10th win of the season on Sunday as they play host to Virginia at 12:00 pm at the Hoke Sloan Tennis Center.

Second-ranked Ani Mijacika extended her singles winning streak to seven straight, defeating Yasmin Hamza of Virginia Tech in straight sets on Saturday morning (6-2, 6-2). The Clemson sophomore is now 24-5 on the year and 7-1 against ACC competition.

The Tigers continued their success in doubles competition, sweeping all three match-ups for the 1-0 lead against the Hokies. Ina Hadziselimovic and Alexandra Luc won easily over Inga Beermann and Holly Johnson at no. 3 (8-2) while Estefania Balda and Federica van Adrichem clinched the point for Clemson with an 8-4 defeat of Yasmin Hamza and Jessica Long at the second position.

Top Tiger tandem of Mijacika and Carol Salge, currently listed at #8 in the Fila/ITA doubles poll, then posted an 8-6 win against Jessica Brouwer and J.J. Larson to improve to 10-2 this spring.

Hadziselimovic rolled to a 6-4, 6-1 win over Larson at no. 4 to give Clemson the 2-0 lead and Mijacika's win at the top position put the Tigers on top by three. Balda then clinched the victory for the Tigers, defeating Beermann, 6-3, 6-2, at no. 2.

The Hokies notched their lone point of the day at the fifth position, as Luc retired due to illness to give Brouwer the win.

Salge then won a battle at the third position, 6-4, 7-6(7-3), over Long for her seventh straight win, while Laurianne Henry, playing in her first match since Feb. 9, defeated Johnson (6-4, 6-2) to conclude the match.

#23 Clemson 6, #51 Virginia Tech 1
Singles
1. #2 Ani Mijacika (CU) def. #120 Yasmin Hamza (VT), 6-2, 6-2
2. #109 Estefania Balda (CU) def. Inga Beermann (VT), 6-3, 6-2
3. #85 Carol Salge (CU) def. Jessica Long (VT), 6-4, 7-6(7-3)
4. Ina Hadziselimovic (CU) def. J.J. Larson (VT, 6-4, 6-1
5. Jessica Brouwer (VT) def. Alexandra Luc (CU), 6-3, ret.
6. Laurianne Henry (CU) vs. Holly Johnson (VT), 6-4, 6-2
Order of Finish - 4, 1, 2, 5, 2, 6
Doubles
1. #8 Mijacika/Salge (CU) def. Brouwer/Larson (VT), 8-6
2. Balda/Federica Van Adrichem (CU) def. Hamza/Long (VT), 8-4
3. Hadziselimovic/Luc (CU) def. Beermann/Johnson (VT), 8-2
Order of Finish - 3, 2, 1
Records - Clemson: 9-9, 5-3 ACC; Virginia Tech: 14-8, 2-6 ACC