Feb. 4, 2010
PITTSBURGH — The University of Pittsburgh’s women’s tennis team head to College Park for their season opener this weekend facing off against the University of Maryland (0-1) for the first time in 30 years.
After a record-breaking 2008-09 season that included winning a first round match (4-3 over Cincinnati) in the Big East Championship and tying their highest ever seed, Pitt is ready to keep the ball rolling in their favor. With four of the six starting players returning this year, head coach George Dieffenbach is looking for his team to be aggressive and pressure their opponents with a strong offense as well as defense.
Last season’s team MVP and number one singles player Elizabeth Adams (Reading, Pa./Wilson) not only finished off the year as MVP but became Pitt’s first-ever All Big East selection. Adams, who joined the 100-victory club this fall, looks to continue winning matches on Saturday.
Returning senior Shannon Benic (Fox Chapel, Pa./Oakland Catholic) will be paired with Adams in number one doubles where they are looking to close out the doubles point this weekend. She and Adams played together this summer in the ITA summer circuit as well as in the ITA Atlantic Regional Tournament this fall.
After a few clutch wins last season against West Virginia in the regular season and Cincinnati in the Big East Tournament, Adela Aprodu (Hamilton, Ontario/Hamilton) is looking forward to continuing to come through for the Panthers in close matches. Partnering up with Aprodu in doubles is Karma Parbhu (Omaha, Neb./Millard North) a new face this year ready to make her season debut against the Terps.
Returning from a season-ending injury last year,
Sabrina Visram (Windermere, Fla./Lake Highland Prep) is back in the line-up and ready for competition. Visram tallied the longest match win streak in Pitt history with 12 in a row during her freshman year for the Panthers and has continued to tally wins ever since.
Joining Visram in doubles this season is Gabi Catanzariti (Pittsburgh, Pa./Sewickley Academy) a freshman who is bringing a strong all-court game to work for the Panthers. She and Visram are looking to use their all-court game to win the doubles point this season.
Pitt’s trip to Maryland will be the first of many road trips for the team this season. Dieffenbach says the time on the road will be an advantage and will make them more unified as they work to improve upon their highest regular-season finish in program history.
The Panthers open their season this Saturday at Maryland. Match time is set for 11:00 a.m. at the Tennis Center in College Park.
