Pitt drops one against Cornell

Coming off its first win against West Virginia in the schools’ 28-match history, Pitt tennis… Coming off its first win against West Virginia in the schools’ 28-match history, Pitt tennis expected a better follow-up effort against Cornell.

Pitt (3-4, 2-1) beat West Virginia (4-2, 0-1) two weeks ago, 4-3, becoming the first Pitt tennis team to defeat West Virginia since the teams first met in 1975.

“We had lost to them last year, 4-3,” Pitt coach George Dieffenbach said. “We were hungry, we were ready to compete, and we were ready to wipe that slate clean and go after them again.”

Taking the doubles point, which Pitt knew would be critical, were Kristy Borza and Elizabeth Adams overcoming a 3-1 deficit to win 8-6 and an 8-6 win from Carlie Smith and Leah Friedman.

Pitt won 3 of 6 in singles from wins by Borza, Adams and Christie D’Achille, giving Pitt the overall win and their second Big East victory of the season.

“It gives us hope for every game we play this season,” Dieffenbach said.

Pitt dropped its match on Saturday to visiting Cornell, 5-2, facing its first Ivy League challenge of the season.

“All the teams in the Ivy League are strong in tennis,” Dieffenbach said.

Cornell (6-0) came into the match undefeated but gave up the first position win to Pitt both in singles and doubles, with an 8-2 win by Borza in singles and a two-set win by Borza and Adams in doubles.

Borza’s wins move her career total to 121 as she continues to close the gap on the school record of 126. Recovering from getting her wisdom teeth pulled, Pitt senior Leah Friedman missed the game, giving Cornell an easier shot at winning not only Friedman’s usual No. 6 singles position but the doubles point, as well.

“She adds a lot of experience to this team,” Dieffenbach said.

Having Friedman, who has played as high as No. 2 in her Pitt career, closing the matches at No. 6 adds depth and a strong finish to the lineup.

Because of shoulder problems, D’Achille sat for her singles match, but she competed in doubles, losing 8-1.

Pitt closed the match winning only 2 of 6 singles matches and one doubles match, all three coming from Borza and Adams.

“We have to have more balance, be more aggressive and be more consistent,” Dieffenbach said.

Both Sabrina Visram and Carlie Smith’s singles matches went to three sets.

If both had won the final set, Pitt would have won the match, 4-3.

“It was just a matter of the opponents playing very well,” Dieffenbach said.