Nov. 6, 2009
Thunderbird Round 1 Singles Bracket
The Arizona State women's tennis team came away with several wins during the opening day of the ASU Thunderbird Invitational. With competitors from ASU, Boise State, California, Michigan, Ohio State and San Diego, the Thunderbird Invitational will run through Sunday at the Whiteman Tennis Center.
Kicking off with doubles, two pairs of ASU doubles teams came away with wins. The duo of Nadia Abdala and Sianna Simmons handed Denise Muresan and Rika Tatsuno an 8-5 loss. Kelcy McKenna teamed up with Ashlee Brown to earn an 8-3 win over Christina Keesey and Paloma Escobedo. In her first competition of the season, senior Amanda Martin partnered with Ohio State freshman Kara Cecil in doubles play. The duo defeated Stephany Chang and Catalina Visico of Cal 8-5. The team of Michelle Brycki and Micaela Hein fell 8-5 to Whitney Taney and Mimi Nguyen of Michigan.
Three Sun Devils advanced to the quarterfinals. After receiving a bye in the first round, No. 1 seed and returning All-American McKenna fought off Michigan's Nguyen in a tough first set battle to overcome the Wolverine 7-6 (1). She breezed through the second set to advance to the quarterfinals 7-6 (1), 6-1.
In her first action of the season, No. 2 seeded Abdala started out strong in her first set against Sulahian of Michigan before dropping the second. The senior All-Pac-10 player came back to win her second round match 6-1, 4-6, 6-4. Despite a tough second set, No. 3 seeded Hein earned a 6-2, 7-5 win over Tayler Davis of Cal and will advance to the quarterfinals tomorrow.
Brycki started out strong in singles, earning a 6-3, 6-4 first round win over Escobedo of Ohio State. She took Denise Muresan of Michigan to four tiebreakers but ultimately dropped her first set to the 5-8 seeded player and lost the match 7-6 (4), 6-1. She will play in the Maroon Consolation Bracket tomorrow. Sianna Simmons dropped both her first round match and first round consolation match. She fell 6-1, 6-0 to Stephanie Jasper of Boise State and 6-2, 6-0 to Nelly Radeva of Cal. Martin suffered the same fate, losing 6-1, 6-0 to Stephany Chang of Cal and 6-2, 6-1 to Fournier of Michigan.
The action will continue through Sunday.
DOUBLES
Taney/Nguyen (UofM) def. Hein/Brycki (ASU) 8-5
Abdala/Simmons (ASU) def. Muresan/Tatsuno (UofM) 8-5
McKenna/Brown (ASU) def. Keesey/Paloma (OSU) 8-3
Davis/Goransson (Cal) def. Fournier/Mahtani (UofM) 8-4
Radeva/Siworsz (Cal) def. Jasper/Jochimsen (BSU) 8-3
Wig/Sulahian (UofM) def. Coupez/Raygada (USD) 9-7
Martin (ASU)/Cecil (OSU) def. Chang/Visico (Cal) 8-5