Tide Duo Has Perfect Start at Roberta Alison Classic
10/3/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - University of Alabama women's tennis players Melissa Minor and Natalie McElveen started their Roberta Allison Fall Classic in top form Friday morning, going 2-0 in doubles play in Flight C of the event.
The duo rallied from a 7-3 deficit in their first match with Louisiana Monroe to win 9-7. In their second round match, the Tide pair downed the South Alabama team of Dominica Nemcovicova and Ana Rupic, 8-4.
"We just looked at each other and said we have to do the necessary things to get back in it," McElveen said. "The shots started falling for us and we started doing the ordinary things extremely well."
The Tide pair's first-round comeback was highlighted by the effective use of an under-handed serve from the sophomore McElveen. Due to an injury, McElveen was unable to serve in the usual fashion or hit overheads.
"(The under-handed serve) was effective," McElveen said. "Not many people practice against a serve like that. I got more effective with it later in the match."
In singles play, Minor kept her unblemished Roberta Alison start intact with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over UAB's Marrita Jansma. The win also made Minor a perfect 4-0 on the young season.
"I think I've been more confident than last year," Minor said. "I've really just been focusing on every ball and every point and trying to be aggressive."
The sophomore from Vestavia Hills played at the No. five and six singles position for Alabama last season, and won the UNLV Invitational in Las Vegas, Nev. last week in the Tide's opening tournament of the season.
"She's definitely playing very confident right now," Alabama Assistant Coach Daryl Greenan said. "She had a great tournament in Las Vegas and is definitely playing well here. I feel like she's mentally tougher and physically stronger with a year under her belt."
Tide freshman Mari Muller also got a victory today. She beat Samford's Christie Baker 6-1, 6-0.
Overall, day one of the annual event saw 32 singles matches and 32 doubles matches played among the 10 competing teams. Play in the Classic continues on Saturday with the doubles finals at 8 a.m., followed by second round singles action beginning at 11 a.m. Finals for singles play will take place Sunday morning.
Match Results:
Friday, October 3
DOUBLES
"Flight A" - 1st round (8 a.m.)
Jager/Palenikova (USA) d. Ostrovska/Yenyk (ULM) 8-3
Boer/Maier-Knapp (UAB) d. Kugakolova/Rekasi (MSU) 8-6
Gheorge/Tantee (FSU) d. Kelly/Presley (BSC) 8-3
Sauerborn/Suitor (AU) d. Oulevay/Allen (UTC) 8-2
"Flight B" - 1st round (8 a.m.)
Deason (Unattached)/Clarke (FSU) d. Jansma/Dellarciprete (UAB) 8-2
Everett/Van Velze (UTC) d. Koppelle/Nikolic (UA) 8-6
Nunnally/Crawford (SU) d. Peaden/Cowart (AU) 8-4
Jarova/Kurakova (USA) d. Hirt/Serret (MSU) 8-6
"Flight C" - 1st round
Denny/Tirapelli (FSU) d. Polulak/Pharr (SU) 8-3
Ueda/Rudman (MSU) d. Janska/Paul (AU) 8-4
Minor/McElveen (UA) d. Perez/Gayne (ULM) 9-7
Rupic/Nemcovicova (USA) d. Williams/Rossdale (BSC) 8-2
"Flight D" - 1st round (8 a.m.)
Cercone/Mihailscu (FSU) d. Elsholz/Samson (UAB) 8-4
Baker/Rowland (SU) d. Snipes/Flanagan (UTC) 9-7
Espinal (ULM)/Muller (UA) d. Benson/White (SU) 8-3
Gray/Epps (AU) d. Boucher/Presley (BSC) 8-3
"Flight A" - 2nd round
Ostrovska/Yenyk (ULM) d. Kugakolova/Rekasi (MSU) 8-5
Oulevay/Allen (UTC) d. Kelly/Presley (BSC) 8-3
Jager/Palenikova (USA) d. Boer/Maier-Knapp (UAB) 8-3
Sauerborn/Suitor (AU) d. Gheorge/Tantee (FSU) 8-6
"Flight B" - 2nd round
Deason (Unattached)/Clarke (FSU) d. Everett/Van Velze (UTC) 8-5
Jarova/Kurakova (USA) d. Nunnally/Crawford (SU) 9-7
Jansma/Dellarciprete (UAB) d. Koppelle/Nikolic (UA) 9-7
Peaden/Cowart (AU) d. Hirt/Serret (MSU) 8-6
"Flight C" - 2nd round
Janska/Paul (AU) d. Polulak/Pharr (SU) 8-3
Minor/McElveen (UA) d. Rupic/Nemcovicova (USA) 8-4
Denny/Tirapelli (FSU) d. Ueda/Rudman (MSU) 8-4
Perez/Gayne (ULM) d. Williams/Kirk (BSC) 8-5
"Flight D" - 2nd round
Cercone/Mihaelscu (FSU) d. Baker/Rowland (SU) 8-0
Gray/Epps (AU) d. Espinal (ULM)/Muller (UA) 8-6
Elsholz/Samson (UAB) d. Snipes/Flanagan (UTC) 8-1
Benson/White (SU) vs. Boucher/Ragsdale (BSC) 8-6
SINGLES
"Flight A" - 1st round (1 p.m.)
Christina Denny (FSU) d. Veronica Perez (ULM) 6-1,6-0
Anastasia Kugakolova (MSU) d. Femke de Boer (UAB) 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4)
Isabel Rosenbrock (AU) d. Charlotte Kelly (BSC) 6-3, 6-4
Marlieka Jager (USA) d. Cynthia Oulevay (UTC) 6-1, 6-2
"Flight B" - 1st round (1 p.m.)
Katerina Palenikova (USA) d. Saski Van Velze (UTC) 6-1, 6-4
Marcelle Hirt (MSU) d. Nathalie Koppelle (UA) 6-2, 6-0
Liz Sauerborn (AU) d. Nischa Maier-Knapp (UAB) 6-2, 6-1
Lindsay Deason (Unattached) d. Emily Nunnally (SU) 6-1, 3-6, 6-2
"Flight C" - 1st round (1 p.m.)
Daniela Gheorghe (FSU) d. Jennifer Williams (BSC) 6-1, 6-0
Sarah Suitor (AU) d. Katie Crawford (SU) 6-2, 6-0
Magdi Rekasi (MSU) d. Nataliya Ostrovska (ULM) 6-4, 7-5
Dominica Nemcovicova (USA) d. Catherine Allen (UTC) 6-1, 6-4
"Flight D" - 1st round (1 p.m.)
Klara Jarova (USA) d. Bethany Benson (SU) 6-3, 6-1
Amber Tantee (FSU) d. Justyna Switala (MSU) 6-3, 6-2
Melissa Minor (UA) d. Marrita Jansma (UAB) 6-1, 6-0
Ashley Cowart (AU) d. Krista Polulak (SU) 6-4, 6-0
"Flight E" - 1st round
Ana Rupic (USA) d. Julia von Samson (UAB) 6-2, 6-2
Diana Espinal (ULM) d. Evan Epps (AU) 6-1, 6-1
Nancy Peaden (AU) d. Bethany Everett (UTC) 6-2, 6-2
Roxanne Clarke (FSU) d. Sonja Nikolic (UA) 6-1, 6-3
"Flight F" - 1st round
Andrea Kurekova (USA) d. Jen Pharr (SU) 6-3, 6-0
Hayley Rudman (MSU) d. Laura Kirk (BSC) 6-1, 6-2
Martina Janska (AU) d. Annemieke Elsholz (UAB) 6-0, 6-3
Alina Mihailescu (FSU) d. Lauren Snipes (UTC) 6-4, 6-3
"Flight G" - 1st round
Yumi Ueda (MSU) d. Anna Yenyk (ULM) 6-2, 6-2
Jenny Paul (AU) d. Emily White (SU) 6-2, 2-6, 7-5
Beth Flanagan (UTC) d. Stacy Gayne (ULM) 6-1, 2-6, 7-5
Nat Tirapelli (FSU) d. Stephanie Boucher (BSC) 6-3, 6-4
"Flight H" - 1st round
Nicole Cercone (FSU) d. Maria Presley (BSC) 6-3, 6-0
Erin Gray (AU) d. Sarah McKey (SU) 7-5, 6-1
Nadia Dellarciprete (UAB) d. Casey Ragsdale (BSC) 6-4, 6-2
Mari Muller (UA) d. Christie Baker (SU) 6-1, 6-0
