Pitt
West Virginia
Women's Tennis Earns First-Ever Victory In Rivalry
2/24/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Feb. 24, 2008
PITTSBURGH--Same score, different outcome. Unlike last season's heartbreaking loss, the University of Pittsburgh women's tennis team defeated West Virginia, 4-3, in an intense rivalry match at Club 4 Life this evening. Pitt improves to 3-3 on the season and 2-1 in the Big East.
The Panther's win was the first-ever in this 28-match series.
"I believe that when you work hard and keep your mental and physical focus it pays off," Head Coach George Dieffenbach exclaimed. "This was a team effort and now we have to work harder to take it to another level."
Pitt won the match in a dramatic form, as junior Christie D'achille (Gibsonia, Pa./North Allegheny) and freshman Elizabeth Adams (Reading, Pa./Wilson) simultaneously defeated their opponents beside on another.
D'Achille played a hard-fought 6-3 bout in the first set to take the lead in No. 4 singles. Then in the second set D'Achille used several strong serves and sailed a few shots past her opponent for the stunning win, 6-2.
Seconds later the crowd cheered again as Adams recorded a 6-4 win in her second set. Adams led that set 5-0, but gave up four games due to line calls and short returns. However, in the end Adams worked the corners and came away with her 15th win of the season at No. 3 singles.
Junior Kristy Borza's (Beaver, Pa./Beaver Area) No. 1 singles match was the first to end, as she turned in a 6-3, 6-3 victory. Borza's win improves her singles record to 70-20 and she is now one victory shy (119) of tying the third-best Victory Club leader Dana Jafarian (1997-2001).
The match opened with Pitt earning the decisive doubles point. Borza and Adams battled back from a 3-1 deficit to post an 8-6 win in No. 1 doubles, while seniors Leah Friedman (Pittsburgh, Pa./Taylor Allderdice) and Carlie Smith (Bel Air, Md./C. Milton Wright) won the deciding match in No. 3 doubles at 8-6, pleasing the crowd.
"I feel very fortunate and very blessed to have been a part of this Pitt effort and Pitt result," added Dieffenbach.
Pitt hosts Cornell at Club 4 Life at 4:30 p.m., on Saturday, March 1.
Singles
1) Kristy Borza def. Stacey Percival 6-3, 6-3
2) Monica Lyskawa def. Sabrina Visram 6-4, 6-4
3) Elizabeth Adams def. Natalia Prinz 6-3, 6-4
4) Christie D'achille def. Colleen Speaker 6-3, 6-2
5) Ashley Pilsbury def. Carlie Smith 6-3, 7-5
6) Stephanie LaFortune def. Leah Friedman 7-5, 6-2
Doubles
1) Borza/Adams def. Percival/Primz 8-6
2) LaFortune/Lyskawa def. Visram/D'Achille 8-2
3) Smith/Friedman def. Monique Burton/Pilsbury 8-6
