RADFORD, Va. – Mirna Matic (Umag, Croatia/Vladmir Gortan, Buje)’s third-set victory proved to be the difference as fifth-seeded Radford knocked off UNC Asheville, 4-3, in the quarterfinals of the 2010 Big South Women’s Tennis Championships Thursday morning at the RU Tennis Courts.
The Highlanders, who advance to the semifinals for the first time since 1998, will take on the winner of this afternoon’s second quarterfinal between No. 2 Winthrop and No. 7 Liberty.
In addition to its first quarterfinal win in 12 years, Radford recorded its first tournament points since the 1999 campaign.
With the dual tied 3-3, Matic defeated UNCA’s Britney Cloer, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, to secure the upset.
Radford, which suffered a 5-2 setback to the Bulldogs in its regular season finale Sunday, grabbed the early 1-0 advantage by winning the doubles point.
Trailing 6-2 on court two, the Highlanders’ duo of
Mia Drobnjak (Zagreb, Croatia/Sporska Gimnazija) and
Sara Tegner (Amal,Sweden/Karlbergs Gymnasium) won seven of the next eight games to defeat Devon Cavanaugh and Louise Bottomley, 9-7, and clinch the point.
Drobnjak (6-2, 6-4) and
Petra Dajevic (Zagreb, Croatia/Sportska Gimnazija ) (6-1, 6-1) also recorded singles victories for Radford.
Bottomley (6-2, 6-0), Cavanaugh (6-4, 6-1) and Nicole Schon (6-2, 6-2) put the only points on the board for the Bulldogs.
Tennis Match Results
Radford vs UNC Asheville
Apr 22, 2010 at Radford, Va.
Radford 4, UNC Asheville 3
Singles competition
1. Mia Drobnjak (RADFORD) def. Smith, Leslie (UNCA) 6-2, 6-4
2. Cavanaugh, Devon (UNCA) def. TOMAIC, Ivana (RADFORD) 6-4, 6-1
3. Petra dajevic (RADFORD) def. Schoen, Stephanie (UNCA) 6-1, 6-1
4. MATIC, Mirna (RADFORD) def. Cloer, Britney (UNCA) 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
5. Schoen, Nicole (UNCA) def. Sara Tegner (RADFORD) 6-2, 6-2
6. Bottomley, Louise (UNCA) def. Emerald Lauzon (RADFORD) 6-2, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. Smith, Leslie/Schoen, Stephanie (UNCA) def. TOMAIC, Ivana/MATIC, Mirna (RADFORD) 8-3
2. Mia Drobnjak/Sara Tegner (RADFORD) def. Cavanaugh, Devon/Bottomley, Louise (UNCA) 9-7
3. Petra dajevic/Emerald Lauzon (RADFORD) def. Cloer, Britney/Schoen, Nicole (UNCA) 8-2
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (6,1,3,2,5,4)