Pitt tennis rolls with four dual-meet wins

Pitt women’s tennis program reached the 300-win milestone Sunday as the 2007 team went 4-0… Pitt women’s tennis program reached the 300-win milestone Sunday as the 2007 team went 4-0 on the first dual matches of the season.

“It really has been a team effort over the years,” George Dieffenbach said. “We have to just keep competing, onward and upward.”

This year’s traveling squad includes senior captain Annie Davies, juniors Leah Friedman and Carlie Smith, sophomores Kristy Borza and Christie D’achille and freshman Sabrina Visram.

Pitt 7, Bucknell 0

The Panthers delivered a strong start to their dual-match season, shutting out the Bucknell Bisons at a Feb. 2 home match at Club 4 Life in East Liberty.

The first matchups of the season in doubles play set the tone for the rest of the match. Pitt doubles defeated Bucknell in each contest to nab the first team point.

Borza and Friedman kicked off the match with a 4-0 start to their set. Bucknell’s team of Ashley Globerman and Carlin Calcaterra fought back, but Pitt’s pair outlasted Bucknell’s, 8-5.

Borza and Friedman then showed their individual strength, winning their respective singles matches 6-0, 6-0 and 6-0, 6-1.

Visram – playing as Pitt’s No. 3 singles competitor – clinched the match in a super tiebreaker, which is a third first-to-10 singles set deciding a split of the first two sets, in her first singles match of the season.

Pitt 6, Georgetown 1

Nine days later, Pitt dominated Georgetown at the Army-Navy Club in Arlington, Va., on Feb. 11.

Georgetown’s Courtney Olson and Stephanie Cohen put a crimp in Pitt’s undefeated start, defeating Pitt’s No. 2 doubles team Davies and D’achille in an 8-6 set for Bucknell.

“They played a very strong match, quite aggressive,” Dieffenbach said in response to the first loss of a set for the season.

The Panthers still claimed the doubles team point, with Smith and Visram and Borza and Friedman winning their doubles matches.

In singles play, Borza prevailed over Courtney Olson, finishing with 7-5 and 6-4 decisions.

Pitt’s first Big East matchup of the season added a team win to the Panther’s record, upsetting the 7-0 Hoyas.

Pitt 7, St. Bonaventure 0

Sunday’s doubleheader began with Pitt and St. Bonaventure at the Oxford North Country Club in Wexford, Pa.

“[St. Bonaventure] was a much improved team over last year,” Dieffenbach said.

Pitt claimed the doubles point for the match, and the six Pitt singles comeptitors each prevailed in their matchups.

Borza, Pitt’s No. 1 competitor, played a 6-3 and 6-2 match, while Friedman, Smith and Vishman met early challenges with their first sets ending in 6-3 conclusions.

Pitt’s No. 5 and 6 individuals, Davies and D’achille felt less pressure, though, with the match decided before even taking court. The pair shut out the St. Bonaventure foes with two consecutive 6-0 sets each.

Pitt 7, St. Francis 0

The Panthers proved unstoppable Sunday, ending the day with an almost flawless match against St. Francis to conclude the doubleheader. The match marked the 300th win in Pitt’s history.

Davies’ victory put her 10 winning sets away from claiming the all-time wins record, set by Fran Davis in 1998 at 124 total. Davies currently boasts 57 singles wins and 57 doubles wins.

“She’s got a lot of chances to break the record and send it out there,” Dieffenbach said, adding that Davies is not the only current player with the possibility of making it into 100-victory club for the program.

Smith is also in striking distance of that achievement, with 90 singles and doubles wins to her name.

Freidman rests at 84 wins while Borza claims 77 total wins in her mere two years of varsity play.

“The team is competing hard, chalking up some really hard numbers,” Dieffenbach said.

Pitt travels to Robert Morris Feb. 28.