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COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Virginia Tech women’s tennis team had a successful opening to the ACC portion of the 2010 dual match schedule Friday afternoon with a 5-2 win at Maryland. The Hokies improve to 5-3 on the year and 1-0 in ACC play, while the Terps fall to 2-4 overall and 0-2 in the conference.

Tech, ranked No. 61 in this week’s ITA national poll, dropped two of the three doubles matches to relinquish the first point of the day, but recovered to win five of the six singles contests.

In singles action, freshman Christin Newman (Greensboro, N.C.), defeated Lisa Miller, 6-3, 6-2, at No. 2, while Yasmin Hamza (Jr., Cairo, Egypt) rolled to a, 6-4, 6-2, No. 3 win over Julie Huschke. Elsewhere, Shannon Betts (So., Newnan, Ga.) won her No. 4 match, 6-4, 6-3, versus Jordan Hansbrough, Courtney Rauscher (So., Evans, Ga.) rolled to an easy, 6-1, 6-0, win at No. 5 against Lexi Brand and Emily Lauten (Fr., Marietta, Ga.) took the No. 6 contest, 6-4, 6-2, over Burce Kurkan.

Tech’s lone singles loss occurred in the No. 1 match as Martha Blakely (So., Reading, Pa.) dropped a tough, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 1-0 (4), decision to Maggie MacKeever.

Maryland won the doubles competition to open the match. Tech jumped out to an early lead as Hamza/Holly Johnson (Jr., Tallahassee, Fla.) crushed Kurkan/Huschke, 8-1, at No. 3. The Terps bounced back to take the No. 1 contest as Blakely/Lauten fell, 8-3, to MacKeever/Miller and then clinched the doubles point as Betts/Newman lost, 8-6, at No. 2 versus Brand/Hansbrough.

Tech will host Louisville on March 5, in a 5 p.m. match at the Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center, before hosting South Alabama for a noon contest on March 7.


#61 Virginia Tech 5, Maryland 2
Singles
1. Maggie MacKeever def. Martha Blakely (VT) 5-7, 7-6 (5), 1-0 (4)
2. Christin Newman (VT) def. Lisa Miller (MD) 6-3, 6-2
3. Yasmin Hamza (VT) def. Julie Huschke (MD) 6-4, 6-2
4. Shannon Betts (VT) def. Jordan Hansbrough (MD) 6-4, 6-3
5. Courtney Rauscher (VT) def. Lexi Brand (MD) 6-1, 6-0
6. Emily Lauten (VT) def. Burce Kurkan (MD) 6-4, 6-2
Order of finish: 5, 1, 3, 4, 6*, 2

Doubles
1. MacKeever/Miller (UM) def. Blakely/Lauten (VT) 8-3
2. Brand/Hansbrough (UM) def. Betts/Newman (VT) 8-6
3. Hamza/Holly Johnson (VT) def. Kurkan/Huschke (MD) 8-1
Order of finish: 3, 1, 2*

*clinching point

For updates on Virginia Tech women's tennis, follow the Hokies on Twitter (@VT_WTennis).