Jackets start hot at Michigan
By Christopher Gooley/ Student Publications
Kelly Anderson started her senior year on the women's tennis team at a tournament in Michigan and won three out of four matches.
Kristi Miller returned to her home state and went undefeated as the women's tennis team continued their strong form by winning 25 out of 34 matches at the Michigan Invitational. The Jackets, ranked No. 4 in the nation, won 18 of 24 singles matches and seven of 10 doubles matches.
Four Jackets are ranked in the top 100 nationally. Kristi Miller, ranked No. 7 in the nation, downed No. 19 Zsuzsanna Fodor of California 6-1, 6-2. No. 71 Lyndsay Shosho downed No. 14 Suzie Babos, also of California, in a close 7-5, 7-5 match. No. 25 Tarryn Rudman won handily against No. 83 Claire Ilcinkas 6-1, 6-1. No. 35 Kelly Anderson continued Tech's rout of California, with a 6-3, 6-2 win over No. 92 Cristina Visico.
Alison Silverio had a good match against No. 61 Stephanie Kusano, winning in three sets 2-6, 6-2, 6-3. Whitney McCray also contributed to the winning by beating Jessica Shue 6-4, 7-6. Unfortunately, Tech did not win all their matches, as Christy Striplin fell in tough competition to Marion Ravelojaona 6-4, 6-4 and Kacie Anson lost to Bojana Bobusic 7-5, 6-4.
On the second day of competition in doubles action, the team of Rudman and Silverio beat Michigan's Elizabeth Exon and Lindsey Howard 8-4. Partners Striplin and Anson won 8-3 over California's Stephanie Kusano and Claire Ilcinkas. The No. 26 pairing of Miller and Shosho beat Michigan's Allie Shafner and Kara Delicata 8-6. The only doubles loss came from No. 52 Kelly Anderson and Whitney McCray losing to Michigan's Debra Streifler and Chisako Sugiyama.
The Jackets did not lose any form on the third day as they continued to prove that they are one of the top teams in the nation by defeating the host-school Michigan on their home courts. Miller, Silverio and Rudman won their third matches in as many days.
Anson won her first singles match, defeating Jessica Shue 6-4, 6-2. Christy Striplin won also, beating Allie Shafner 6-1, 6-2. Anderson suffered a defeat at the hands of Chisako Sugiyama in a very close game 7-5, 7-5, and Lyndsay Shosho fell in a similar fashion to Michigan's Kara Delicata, 6-3, 6-4. Tech won both their doubles matches. Miller and Shosho beat LSU's Lauren Seaman and Tiffany Tucker 8-3, while Rudman and Silverio defeated Anastasiya Dubova Mykala Hedbert, also of LSU, 8-5.
The Jackets continue their schedule at the National Team Indoors the first weekend of February in Madison, Wis.
