University of Tennessee Athletics
CASTELLVI TABBED FINAL LADY VOL ATHLETE OF THE MONTH
June 05, 2002 | Women's Tennis
June 5, 2002
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.
Junior Vilmarie Castellvi, a member of the University of Tennessee Lady Vol tennis team, has been named edsouth Lady Vol Athlete of the Month for May. She was chosen by a vote of the media relations staff after a period in which she was honored as the department's athlete of the week on May 26.
Over the month of May, Castellvi helped to lead the Lady Vols to the NCAA Final Four for the first time and went on to earn individual All-American honors, as well.
Castellvi and the rest of the Lady Vols opened NCAA regional competition by facing Marshall in Knoxville. The Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, native added a tight 9-7 triumph at No. 1 doubles with partner Agnes Wiski to give the Orange a 1-0 lead heading into singles and the rest of the team would complete a 4-0 sweep of the Thundering Herd before Castellvi finished her match at the top spot. In the second round, Tennessee again got the job down before its No. 1 player completed her match. However, her team would need her to accomplish the team's goal of advancing past the round of 16.
At the NCAA Championships The Lady Vols exacted revenge for a regular-season loss to Vanderbilt with a 4-2 triumph in the round of 16. It marked the first time the UT had won a match at a championship site. Castellvi clinched the victory for the Lady Vols with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 win over No. 12 Sarah Riske. In the Elite Eight, UT topped underdog Virginia Commonwealth for the right to advance to the Final Four. Castellvi contributed a brillant 6-3, 6-4 victory at No. 1 to spur the Lady Vols further in the tournament than they had ever been. Unfortunately, Tennessee dropped its semifinal match to Florida, however, Castellvi fought to the end forcing a deciding set three in her match at No. 1 singles before succumbing 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 to No. 2 Jessica Lehnhoff.
Following the team competition Castellvi earned All-American honors by virtue of her 9-16 seeding in the singles tourney. She also competed with Wiski in the doubles competition. Wiski and Castellvi became the first doubles pair to advance to the second round since 1998 before falling in a three-set thriller in round two.
In the singles field of 64, Castellvi advanced to the quarterfinals before bowing to No. 4 Gabriela Lastra of Stanford. It marked just the second time a Lady Vol had progressed that far in the tourney. The junior finished with an impressive 44-8 record.
Castellvi closed out the month by snagging the final ranking of fourth behind Bea Bielik of Wake Forest, Florida's Jessica Lehnhoff and Lastra. With both Lehnhoff and Lastra completing their eligibility this season, Castellvi will be the No. 2 returning player in 2002-03.
