April 21, 2010

PITTSBURGH — The University of Pittsburgh’s women’s tennis team will travel to South Bend, Ind. For the 2010 Big East Championship Tournament this week as the No. 10 seed, squaring off against 7th-seeded Rutgers in opening-round action on Thursday, April 22.

The Panthers (10-7, 5-5 Big East) are geared up for this year’s tournament after breaking records at last year’s event; winning their first opening-round match and ending with the programs best finish at seventh.

“The University of Pittsburgh tennis team is honored to have been selected to compete in the Big East Championship at Notre Dame,” said head coach George Dieffenbach. “Notre Dame is an outstanding school with great facilities and tradition and the competition at the championship will be outstanding.”

With the majority of Pitt’s Big East wins coming on the road this season, the team doesn’t mind one more road trip to Notre Dame to conclude the season.

“This season has really made us travel tested,” said senior Shannon Benic. “I think this trip to South Bend will feed into our strengths as we battle again for Big East wins on the road.”

Although the tournament has been held in Tampa, Fla. in years past, this year Pitt will travel to South Bend, Ind. to battle for a higher finish than last year. The Panthers will meet Rutgers (13-7, 7-3 Big East) in the first round of match play on Thursday.

This will not be the first meeting for the Scarlet Knights and the Panthers in the first round of the Big East Tournament. Pitt and Rutgers have met three times before in the first round of the champiomship tournament, with all three ending in a loss for the Panthers.

“We are once again the underdogs in the first round,” said junior Elizabeth Adams. “But I think it just gives us that much more incentive to play our hardest tennis to try to end the season with great success, following in last year's footsteps.”

After last year’s 4-3 upset over Cincinnati, the Panthers are prepared to face the No. 7 seed, Rutgers. For some seniors this is the last chance to finish the season on top.

“After four years and two knee surgeries, I’m leaving it all out on the court,” said senior Sabrina Visram. “I can’t wait to compete in this year’s tournament and show the other Big East teams what we’re made of.

The winner of the Pitt/Rutgers match will continue on to face the No. 2 seed, USF. All second round matches will take place on Friday. The loser of the match will head into the consolation round of the double-elimination tournament.

“I consider this a great opportunity to close out our season by competing to the max each and every match,” added Dieffenbach. “This is why we have worked so hard throughout the year.”

Match time for the Panthers will be 9 a.m. on Thursday, April 22.