The No. 52 women's tennis team bowed to the No. 9 Miami Hurricanes in the first round of the 2006 USTA/ITA National Team Indoor Championships Thursday by a score of 5-2.
Even though they lost out on the doubles point, the Badgers got strong play from sophomores Nicole Beck and Chelsea Nusslock. The duo was victorious in their No. 3 doubles match over Ana Rupic and Monika Dancevic, 8-6.
The match, which was discussed long before Thursday, did not disappoint. It was a back-and-forth battle between last year's ITA national rookie of the year, Audra Cohen, and Wisconsin's All-Big Ten selection, No. 32 junior Caitlin Burke. Cohen won the No. 1 singles match 7-5, 6-3. Burke was very impressed with her younger opponent.
'She's a great player,' Burke said of Cohen. 'She hits a heavier ball than any girl I've ever played before. I had so many opportunities for things to go my way, but with a player of that caliber, you can't give an inch.'
UW will resume play today at 9 a.m., when they start competition in the tournament's consolation round.
