University of Tennessee Athletics
Orlin and Zubor win St. Mary's Flight Championship
September 16, 2007 | Women's Tennis
St Mary's Classic Final Bracket
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. ??? Junior Samantha Orlin got things started on the right foot for the University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers on the final day of the St. Mary???s Classic, reeling off 10 straight game victories and an eventual 6-0, 6-1 flight eight championship. Sophomore Zsof??a Zubor also proved victorious in the title contest for the sixth flight, less than an hour later, defeating her opponent 7-5, 6-4.
???I thought this weekend was great for our team overall,??? said UT co-head coach Sonia Hahn-Patrick. ???I saw some things that we have been working on in practice get implemented in the games today. This was a good start to the fall season and our freshmen did a great job.???
Orlin???s match against North Carolina???s Linzee Mabry lasted just one hour and nine minutes Sunday, compared to pair of two three-set contests on Saturday.
???I came into this weekend with no expectations, just ready to play,??? said Orlin. ???It felt great to start the fall season off winning my flight. I got into rhythm today and I hope I can carry this momentum to Furman in a few weeks.???
Zubor found herself down 3-5 to Georgia???s Adrienne Elsberry in the first set but pulled out four straight games for the 7-5 victory. Zubor, ahead five games to four in the second set, earned match point on a double fault by Elsberry and sealed the deal with a beautiful shot, past her opponent down the left line for the 6-4 win.
???This was a really good match,??? said Zubor. ???She was a great competitor and fought the entire time. I had to focus to play my game and to not worry about hers. I think I did a good job of being mentally tough, especially in the end with the four match-points. I was able to play my game and I won.???
Sophomore Connor Vogel put a mark in the win column with a walk-over victory over No. 51 Yvette Hyndman of Georgia, who was injured in a Saturday afternoon match.
Competing at Tyson Park, both second-year Lady Vol Caitlin Whoriskey and freshman Rosal??a Alda had positive outcomes. Alda finished first, knocking out Katherina Tomalak of Louisville, 6-3, 6-1, for the flight seven consolation championship, before Whoriskey took Wake Forest???s No. 97 Sasha Kulikova in two sets, 7-6 (5) and 7-6 (3). With both teams cheering on their final competitors of the day, fans witnessed an exciting match between the Big Orange and Demon Deacon sophomores.
In flight three action, Notre Dame???s 45th-ranked Cosmina Ciobanu fell behind UT freshman Jennifer Meredith, 3-6, but rallied for 6-4 and 6-3 performances, respectively, in sets two and three, for the victory. In flight four, Sierra Poske of Wake Forest beat the Lady Vols??? lone senior Ghizela Schutte 6-1, 6-3.
The Big Orange will next hit the courts, Sept. 28-30, when it makes the trip to Greenville, S.C., for the Furman Fall Invitational.
Singles Results ??? Sunday, September 16, 2007
Flight One
Connor Vogel (UT) def. No. 51 Yvette Hyndman (UGA) - Walk Over
Flight Two
Caitlin Whoriskey (UT) def. No. 97 Sasha Kulikova (WFU) - 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3)
Flight Three
No. 45 Cosmina Ciobanu (ND) def. Jennifer Meredith (UT) - 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
Flight Four
Sierra Poske (WFU) def. Ghizela Schutte (UT) - 6-1, 6-3
Flight Six - Championship
Zsof??a Zubor (UT) def. Adrienne Elsberry (UGA) - 7-5, 6-4
Flight Seven
Rosal??a Alda (UT) def. Katherina Tomalak (LOU) - 6-3, 6-1
Flight Eight - Championship
Samantha Orlin (UT) def. Linzee Mabry (UNC) - 6-0, 6-1
