Womens Tennis Completes Second Day at UNLV Invitational

NORMAN, Okla. The Oklahoma women's tennis team finished another day of successful competition Saturday afternoon at the UNLV Fall Invitational at the Fertitta Tennis Complex in Las Vegas, Nev. The Sooner women won seven out of eight singles matches in semifinal action and claimed two out of four victories in the doubles finals. The three-day competition, which is using an individual results format, also includes players from Hawaii, LSU, Minnesota, Oklahoma State and host school UNLV.

In singles competition, the seven Sooner victories were more than any other school and leading the squad was sophomore Gabby Baker who defeated LSU's Marina Chiarelli in the top flight of competition. After losing the first set, 0-6, Baker responded by capturing 6-3 victories in the final two sets and will face UNLV's Elena Gantcheva in Sunday's title match.

In other singles competition, seniors Jessica Braver and Bethany Griffin and freshman Chelsea Orr all swept their matches in two sets. Braver handily defeated OSU's Jana Kubicikova, 6-1, 6-2, while Griffin beat Hawaii's Paige Mainor 6-3, 6-2. In flight five, Orr defeated OSU's Sandra Blajer, 6-4, 6-3 and remains undefeated in her first collegiate tournament.

In flight two, sophomore Irina Lykina bounced back from her first set and defeated LSU's Lauren Seaman, 6-7, 6-3, 6-4. Senior Heather Saluri also rebounded from her first set (5-7) and beat UNLV's Anne Claire Ortiz-Luis in the final two sets, 6-4, 6-3. Sophomore Amanda Pratzel was victorious after defeating UNLV's Claire Smith, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.

The lone loss for the Sooners in singles competition was freshman Christy Baxley who was defeated by OSU's Jennifer Poskitt, 6-2, 6-3.

In doubles finals action, Saluri and Baker won the flight one championship defeating LSU's Amanda Mang and Lauren Seaman, 8-5. The duo of Lykina and Griffin won flight two after handily beating LSU's Tiffany Tucker and Marina Chiarelli, 8-2.

Two other Sooner pairs competed in the doubles finals, but were unable to secure a victory. Braver and Baxley were beat by OSU's Jana Kubicikova and Sandra Blajer, 8-5, while Orr and Pratzel dropped the flight five final to LSU's Jenny Wooten and Caliari, 8-4.

The tournament will wrap up Sunday morning with finals for the singles competition beginning at 11 a.m. (CST).

UNLV Invitational
Fertitta Tennis Complex
Las Vegas, Nev.
Sept. 24-26, 2004

Singles Results
Gabby Baker (OU) def. Marina Chiarelli (LSU) - 0-6, 6-3, 6-3
Irina Lykina (OU) def. Lauren Seaman (LSU) - 6-7, 6-3, 6-4
Heather Saluri (OU) def. Anne Claire Ortiz-Luis (UNLV) - 5-7, 6-4, 6-3
Jessica Braver (OU) def. Jana Kubicikova (OSU) - 6-1, 6-2
Bethany Griffin (OU) def. Paige Manor (UH) - 6-3, 6-2
Amanda Pratzel (OU) def. Claire Smith (UNLV) - 3-6, 6-2, 6-2
Chelsea Orr (OU) def. Sandra Blajer (OSU) - 6-4, 6-3
Jennifer Poskitt (OSU) def. Christy Baxley (OU) - 6-2, 6-3

Doubles Results
Baker/Saluri (OU) def. Mang/Seaman (LSU) - 8-5
Lykina/Griffin (OU) def. Tucker/Chiarelli (LSU) - 8-2
Kubicikova/Blajer (OSU) def. Braver/Baxley (OU) - 8-5
Caliari/Wooten (LSU) def. Orr/Pratzel (OU) - 8-4

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Womens Tennis Completes Second Day at UNLV Invitational

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