May 4, 2008

Box Score

FREDERICKSBURG, VA - The #21 Johns Hopkins women's tennis team fell 5-2 at #6 Mary Washington in the NCAA Sweet 16 Sunday afternoon. The Blue Jays finish the season at 17-4, tying school records for wins in a season and matches played. The Eagles improve to 23-3 and move onto the quarterfinals hosted by Gustavus Adolphus May 13-18.

Mary Washington took a 2-0 lead with wins at first and second doubles before Johns Hopkins picked up a win at third doubles. At third, sophomore Ellen Berlinghof (Fort Washington, PA/Upper Dublin) and freshman Yasmine Elamir (Saddle River, NJ/Heritage Academy (SC)) won 9-7 over Courtney Goimarac and Stephanie Kurti. Freshman Abby Dwyer (Stuart, FL/Jensen Beach) and sophomore Amanda Schubert (Richmond, VA/Mills E. Godwin) lost at second, 8-4 to Megan Lawlor and Kate Malpeli. And at first, sophomore Anita Bhamidipati (Egg Harbor Township, NJ/Egg Harbor Township) and junior Brittany Matava (Denver, CO/Littleton) dropped an 8-4 decision to Natalia Fugate and Becky Morse-Karzen.

The Eagles then took a 3-1 lead after Malpeli defeated Schubert 6-1, 6-0 at fifth singles. Berlinghof then cut the deficit to one for the Blue Jays, winning 6-1, 6-0 at sixth over Amy Sheetz. Mary Washington retook a two-point lead in the match as Morse-Karzen beat Bhamidipati 6-3, 6-2 at first, making it a 4-2 match. Fugate clinched the match for Mary Washington with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Dwyer at fourth.

Bhamidipati's season will continue as she has been selected for the NCAA singles and doubles championships this week at Gustavus Adolphus. The singles and doubles championships will be hosted by Gustavus Adolphus College May 16-18 at the Swanson Tennis Center in Saint Peter, MN. The draw will be on May 14.