Tide Pair Wins Championship at Roberta Alison Classic
10/4/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
 |
|
TUSCALOOSA, Ala.- University of Alabama women's tennis players Melissa Minor and Natalie McElveen won the doubles championship in Flight C of the Roberta Allison Fall Classic Saturday morning, finishing the tournament at a perfect 3-0.
After winning both matches on Friday, the twosome defeated Nat Tirapelli and Christina Denny of Florida State 8-3 to claim the Flight C title.
"They played with a lot of execution all weekend," Alabama assistant coach Darryl Greenan said. "The wins were a real boost for our team going into singles play. They dealt with a lot of adversity with Natalie's injury to her shoulder that forced her to serve underhand. They started out down 7-4 in their first match but were able to come back and get on a roll for the rest of the tournament."
In singles play, Tide freshman Mari Muller won for the second day in a row, advancing to the Flight H finals tomorrow against Auburn's Erin Gray. Muller defeated UAB's Nadia Dellarciprete, 7-6, 6-2.
"She played with more and more confidence and was more relaxed as the match went on," Greenan said. "She was able to just let her abilities shine. She's a good athlete and very coachable on the court. Some freshmen in their first matches play a bit tentative, but she was able to play with confidence today. These wins will go a long way in her building more confidence as the season goes on."
Alabama finished the day at 4-2, going 1-1 in doubles play and 3-1 in singles play. Freshmen Sonja Nikolic and Sophomore Nathalie Koppelle also won today.
Play in the Classic wraps up on Sunday with finals starting at 8 a.m.
Tide sophomore Robin Stephenson was also in action in Pacific Palisades, Calif. today as she defeated Arizona's Debbie Larocque 7-6, 6-1 in the first round of singles preliminary qualifying at the 2003 Riviera/ITA Women's All-American Championships.
"It was a good match and Robin stepped up and played well today," Alabama head coach Jenny Mainz said. "She played smart and capitalized on mistakes by her opponent."
Stephenson lost in the second round to Georgia's Natalie Frazier, 6-4, 6-4. Even with the loss, Mainz was still pleased with Stephenson's performance.
"She was up early, but just couldn't put it away," Mainz said. "This was a invaluable experience for her and she responded well to what is the upper echelon of tennis."
Match Results: Roberta Allison Classic
Saturday, October 04, 2003
DOUBLES
"Flight A" - Finals (8 a.m.)
Oulevay/ Allen (UTC) d. Ostrovska/ Yenyk (ULM) 8-6
Jager/ Palenikova (USA) d. Sauerborn/ Suiter (AU) 8-4 (Flight A Winner)
Tantee/Gheorge (FSU) d. Boer/ Maier-Knapp (UAB) 8-6
Kugakolova/ Rekasi (MSU) d. Kelly/ Kirk (BSC) 8-3
"Flight B" - Finals (8 a.m.)
Peaden/ Cowart (AU) d. Jansma/ Dellarciprete (UAB) 8-0
Clarke/ Deason (FSU) d. Jarova/ Kurakova(USA) 8-4 (Flight B Winner)
Everett/ Van Velze(UTC) d. Nunnally/ Crawford (SU) 8-5
Hirt/ Serret(MSU) d. Koppelle/ Nikolic(UA) 8-5
"Flight C" - Finals (8 a.m.)
Minor/ McElveen (UA) d. Denny/ Tirapelli (FSU) 8-3 (Flight C Winner)
Ueda/ Rudman (MSU) d. Rupic/ Nemcovico (USA) (Default)
Perez/ Gayne (ULM) d. Janska/ Paul (AU) 9-7
Polulak/ Pharr (SU) d. Williams/ Rossdale (BSC) 8-5
"Flight D" - Finals (8 a.m.)
Elsholz/ Samson (UAB) d. Benson/ White (SU) 8-1
Cercone/ Mihaelescu (FSU) d. Gray/ Epps (AU) 8-3 (Flight D Winner)
Boucher/ Presley (BSC) d. Snipes/ Flannagan (UTC) 8-3
Espinal/ Muller (ULM) d. Rowland/ Baker (SU) 8-2
SINGLES
"Flight A" - 2nd round (11 a.m.)
Veronica Perez (ULM) d. Femke de Boer (UAB) 6-4, 6-3
Anastasia Kugakolova (MSU) d. Christina Denny (FSU) 6-4, 6-3
Cynthia Oulevay (UTC) d. Charlotte Kelly (BSC) 6-3, 6-2
Marlieka Jager (USA) d. Isabel Rosenbrock (AU) 6-3, 6-1
"Flight B" - 2nd round (11 a.m.)
Katerina Palenikova (USA) d. Marcelle Hirt (MSU) 6-4, 7-5
Nathalie Koppelle (UA) d. Saski Van Velze (UTC) 6-2, 6-2
Liz Sauerborn (AU) d. Lindsay Deason (Unattached) 6-4, 6-1
Nischa Maier-Knapp (UAB) d. Emily Nunnally (SU) 6-4, 6-3
"Flight C" - 2nd round (11 a.m.)
Daniela Gheorghe (FSU) d. Sarah Suitor (AU) 6-1, 6-4
Katie Crawford (SU) d. Jennifer Williams (BSC) 6-1, Ret.
Magdi Rekasi (MSU) vs. Dominica Nemcovicova (USA)
Catherine Allen (UTC) d. Nataliya Ostrovska (ULM) 3-6, 6-4, 6-4
"Flight D" - 2nd round (11 a.m.)
Klara Jarova (USA) d. Amber Tantee (FSU) 6-4, 6-1
Bethany Benson (SU) d. Justyna Switala (MSU) 3-0, Ret. (Inj.)
Ashley Cowart (AU) d. Melissa Minor (UA) 6-1, 6-4
Krista Polulak (SU) d. Marrita Jansma (UAB) 6-4, 5-7, 6-3
"Flight E" - 2nd round
Diana Espinal (ULM) d. Ana Rupic (USA) 7-5, 6-1
Evan Epps (AU) d. Julia von Samson (UAB) 7-5, 4-6, 7-5
Nancy Peaden (AU) d. Roxanne Clarke (FSU) 6-4, 6-0
Sonja Nikolic (UA) d. Bethany Everett (UTC) 6-1, 2-6, 6-3
"Flight F" - 2nd Round
Andrea Kurekova (USA) d. Hayley Rudman (MSU) 6-2, 6-3
Jen Pharr (SU) d. Laura Kirk (BSC) 6-2, 6-1
Martina Janska (AU) vs. Alina Mihailescu (FSU) 3-6, 6-3, 7-6
Annemieke Elsholz (UAB) d. Lauren Snipes (UTC) 6-4, 5-7, 6-4
"Flight G" - 2nd Round
Jenny Paul (AU) d. Yumi Ueda (MSU) 7-6, 7-5
Emily White (SU) d. Anna Yenyk (ULM) 4-6, 6-1, 6-0
Nat Tirapelli (FSU) d. Beth Flanagan (UTC) 6-2, 6-1
Stacy Gayne (ULM) d. Stephanie Boucher (BSC) 6-3, 7-6
"Flight H" - 2nd round
Erin Gray (AU) d. Nicole Cercone (FSU) 2-6, 6-1, 6-3
Sarah McKey (SU) d. Maria Presley (BSC) 6-4, 4-6, 7-5
Mari Muller (UA) d. Nadia Dellarciprete (UAB) 7-6, 6-2
Casey Ragsdale (BSC) d. Christie Baker (SU) 6-1, 6-2
