Bentley Goes Undefeated at UVa Invitational, Tide Tennis Shines
1/16/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Bentley Goes Undefeated at UVa Invitational, Tide Tennis Shines
Monday, January 16, 2006
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- The University of Alabama women’s tennis team wrapped-up an action-packed opening weekend Monday at the UVa Invitational. The Crimson Tide won 16 of 26 matches played over the three-day event against Virginia, Purdue and Wisconsin. Alabama was led by seniors Ashley Bentley and Robin Stephenson, who combined to go 8-1 in singles and doubles.
Bentley dominated her competition in three singles matches, winning all three without dropping a single set. She did the same in doubles with partner Stephenson. Alabama’s all-time winningest duo, currently ranked at No. 15, shut-out Purdue’s combo of Hala Sufi and Brooke Beier, 8-0 on Saturday, followed that win with an 8-2 victory over UVa’s Douglas Wink and Amanda Rales Sunday and then cruised to an 8-3 win Monday over Caitlin Burke and Elizabeth Carpenter of Wisconsin.
Thirteenth-ranked Stephenson found success in singles as well. While she did fall to No. 32-ranked Burke in three sets Saturday, Stephenson recorded a pair of victories of her own in three-set matches. Saturday Stephenson dropped the opening set to Virginia’s Douglas Wink, but regrouped and battled back to win the final two sets convincingly, 6-2, 6-4. Monday she attempted to rebound from Sunday’s loss but again fell behind after the opening set, this time to Purdue’s Hala Sufi. However, Stephenson proved once more why she has been so successful over her Alabama career as she clawed back to win the match.
Another big story for Alabama was the debut of freshman Sofia Ayala. Ayala, a native of Ecuador, earned her first career victory Saturday in straight sets over Wisconsin’s Lexi Goldin. But Ayala wasn’t satisfied with just one win. Monday Ayala recorded another victory, this time over Purdue’s Anna Dzeya, 7-6, 7-5.
All results from this weekend’s competition count towards each individual’s record; however no team results were recorded. The Tide will begin its dual-match season January 27 as it travels to Colorado take on the Denver Pioneers.
DOUBLES ?? Alabama vs. Purdue
Stephenson/Bentley (Ala) def. Sufi/Beier (Pur), 8-0
Muller/Brenes (Ala) def. Minna/Voelker (Pur), 8-4
Schuler/Dzeva (Pur) def. Day/Ayala (Ala), 8-3
SINGLES ?? Virginia vs. Alabama
Robin Stephenson (Ala) def. Douglas Wink (UVa), 6-7, 6-2, 6-4
Ashley Bentley (Ala) def. Rachel DelPriore (UVa), 6-2, 6-2
Melissa Day (Ala) def. Lori Stern (UVa), 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
Kristen James (UVa) def. Mari Muller (Ala), 6-4, 6-0
Lindsey Pereira (UVa) def. Andrea Brenes (Ala), 6-3, 6-0
Amanda Rales (UVa) def. Sofia Ayala (Ala), 6-3, 2-6, 6-0
DOUBLES ?? Virginia vs. Alabama
Stephenson/Bentley (Ala) def. Wink/Rales (UVa), 8-2
Stern/James (UVa) def. Muller/Brenes (Ala), 8-3
DelPriore/Hammond (UVa) def. Day/Ayala (Ala), 8-5
SINGLES ?? Wisconsin vs. Alabama
Caitlin Burke (Wis) def. Robin Stephenson (Ala), 7-6, 6-7, 6-1
Ashley Bentley (Ala) def. Kaylan Caiati (Wis), 6-3, 7-5
Chelsea Nusslock (Wis) def. Melissa Day (Ala), 6-2, 7-6
Mari Muller (Ala) def. Morgan Tuttle (Wis), 6-2, 6-2
Andrea Brenes (Ala) def. Elizabeth Carpenter (Wis), 6-3, 6-4
Sofia Ayala (Ala) def. Lexi Goldin (Wis), 6-2, 6-0
DOUBLES ?? Alabama vs. Wisconsin
Stephenson/Bentley (Ala) def. Burke/Carpenter (Wis), 8-3
Muller/Brenes (Ala) def. Tuttle/Caiati (Wis), 9-8
Day/Ayala (Ala) def. Nusslock/Jobe (Wis), 8-4
SINGLES ?? Alabama vs. Purdue
Robin Stephenson (Ala) def. Hala Sufi (Pur), 6-7, 6-2, 11-9
Ashley Bentley (Ala) vs. Randi Schuler (Pur), DNF
Brooke Beier (Pur) def. Mari Muller (Ala), 7-6, 2-6, 10-7
Mallory Voelker (Pur) def. Andrea Brenes (Ala), 7-6, 6-2
Sofia Ayala (Ala) def. Anna Dzeva (Pur), 7-6, 7-5
No. 6 ?? Not Played
