Terps Enter Top 25, Junior Named ACC POW
3/22/2011 8:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
March 22, 2011
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - After earning its biggest upset in over five years, the Maryland women's tennis team is getting noticed, cracking the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Top 25 for the first time since ACC expansion.
Led by junior Cristina Sanchez-Quintanar, the Terps (11-2, 1-2 ACC) beat 11th-ranked Virginia Sunday afternoon at the Cole Tennis Courts for the Terps' first defeat of a top 15 opponent since their April 10, 2005 win over No. 12 Duke. That win, along with a 6-1 rout of Georgetown the previous Thursday, helped the Terrapins secure a No. 24 spot in the latest rankings and a place among the NCAA tennis elite.
Sanchez-Quintanar also earned accolades for her success last week. She was named the ACC Women's Tennis Player of the Week Tuesday afternoon. She becomes the first Terp to win ACC Player of the Week since Michal Amir picked up the honor April 12, 2007.
Since her Maryland career started in January, Sanchez-Quinatar has compiled perfect records in dual singles and doubles, going 12-0 and 13-0 respectively. Last week she scored straight-set singles victories over Georgetown's Stephanie Wetmore and Virginia's 55th-ranked Emily Fraser both at the No. 1 position. She, along with partner Jordaan Sanford, won both their matches at No. 1 doubles, beating the Hoyas' Wetmore and Tina Tehrani, and the Cavaliers' 20th-ranked duo of Fraser and Hana Tomljanovic to kick off the Terps' upset.
Sanchez-Quintanar still holds the No. 121 ranking in ITA singles. ITA singles and doubles rankings are announced every other Tuesday.
The Terps get another chance at an upset bid this weekend as they face the ACC's top two teams at home. First, No. 3 North Carolina visits College Park for a 2 p.m. matchup on Friday, March 25. Then, the Terps take on ACC foe, and 4th-ranked Duke, Sunday at noon. Both matches are scheduled to take place at the Tennis Center at College Park (due to expected poor weather conditions). Admission is free.
Other Notes: Maryland's 11 wins mark the first time the Terps have recorded double-digit victories since the 2005-2006 season when Maryland went 12-12 and fell to South Florida in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
