Lady Vols’ tennis prepares for UVA

The Lady Vols tennis team is preparing for a re-match with No. 29 Virginia after defeating them 5-2 over the weekend as both teams were trying to qualify for the ITA National Indoor Championships. UT defeated Virginia in the semifinal round but went on to lose to Miami in the finals.

In the match with the Lady Cavaliers, UT lost the doubles point for the first time in the young season. However, they were able to bounce back and take five out of six singles matches including upset wins by Caitlin Whoriskey and Natalie Pluskota over both of Virginia’s ranked singles players. Pluskota defeated No. 82 Emily Frasier for her first victory over a ranked opponent in her career. Lady Vol co-head coach Mike Patrick said that Pluskota has upped her level of play.

“Her win showed me that she can do it, and I am going to hold her to a higher standard than I have been in practice, because I know what she can do now.”

Pluskota also had success in doubles with her partner Jennifer Meredith. The team is now 11-1 on the year. This weekend Patrick is looking to test out some other doubles pairings in preparation for the SEC schedule. Whoriskey and Pluskota will work together as a team Sunday, and their normal partners Zsofia Zubor and Meredith will likely pair together.

In light of the defeat in singles last weekend Patrick expects Virginia to tweak their lineup as well.

Whoriskey was one of the players to suffer a doubles loss against UVA only to turn around with a singles victory. Whoriskey quickly defeated No. 42 Jennifer Stevens 6-1, 6-1. The junior said the key to her victory was exposing weaknesses against Stevens that she could not in doubles.

“With the girl I played the backhand was her better side, and that is what she played in doubles,” Whoriskey said. “In singles I hit everything to her forehand and her returns gave me short balls I could attack.”

Action will begin at noon at the indoor courts of the Goodfriend Tennis Center on Feb. 8.