Doubles pairs lift women’s tennis over No. 4 Michigan

By Steve Lansdale

AUSTIN, Texas — Two-time All-America Breaunna Addison and sophomore Dani Wagland won in both singles and doubles to help the Texas women’s tennis team knock off No. 4 Michigan, 4-3, at Whitaker Tennis Courts.

The victory lifted the Longhorns over the .500 mark, improving their record to 5-4, but of greater importance was the fact that it marked UT’s first [s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level1)]win over a team ranked among the nation’s top five since a January 2012 win over then-No. 4 North Carolina.

First-year Texas head coach Howard Joffe was thrilled with the Longhorns’ victory because of his obvious respect for the Wolverines’ program, but was quick to point out that the win came against an incomplete Michigan team.

“Michigan was without one of its top players today, so that shouldn’t get lost in the equation,” Joffe said. “They took everything we had and played down to the wire. They are unbelievably well coached and just a real class act. I certainly feel delighted for our group, but you can actually feel for Michigan. They are really a class act.”

Addison and Wagland paired up to knock off Michigan’s tandem of Ronit Yurovsky and Kate Fahey in the top doubles match. UM’s Mira Ruder-Hook and Alax Nagarian answered with a win over UT’s Neda Koprcina and Daniella Roldan, but Katie Poluta and Lana Groenvynck gave the Longhorns the doubles point with their victory over Deona Velehorschi and Sara Remynse. Roldan also won her singles match, over Remynse, to give the teams an even split of the singles matches.

Joffe said that after tough losses to Alabama and Duke, the Longhorns should benefit from a victory over an elite program like Michigan.

“So, it’s one of those things that, no matter how much I tell the group what a great job it is doing, it’s always nice to be rewarded with an outcome — that is, to me, the biggest thing,” Joffe said. “Some of the folks who haven’t had the taste of a win and being in these competitive of situations are now in them and actually getting over that hurdle instead of coming up a little short. I’m just delighted for the seven ladies because they are improving and getting tougher by the day.”

The Longhorns return to action Thursday when they host Penn.

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