Juniors Advance in Singles at Wildcat Invite

Oct. 10, 2009

EVANSTON, Ill.—Juniors Tara Eckel and Maria Kalashnikova each won two matches Saturday to advance on as OU women's tennis opened singles play at the Wildcat Invite at Northwestern University.

Eckel finished strong after a slow start in the first round, defeating Gustafson of Depaul in three sets, 6-4, 0-6, 6-1. Eckel dominated Wisconsin's Gruber in the Flight D semifinals, winning the match, 6-1, 6-0. Eckel will face Nivia of WMU in Sunday's Flight D final.

Kalashnikova picked up a hard-fought win in the Flight A first round, defeating McKnight of Depaul, 6-2, 1-6, 6-4. Kalashnikova then topped Wisconsin's Seyferth, 6-2, 6-4, in the quarterfinals to advance to the Flight B semifinals on Sunday. Kalashnikova will face No. 114 Stojic of South Carolina on Sunday.

The Sooners went 8-6 combined on the day, with three losses coming down to the tiebreaker set.

Sophomore Marie-Pier Huet lost to Kopricova of Minnesota, 6-2, 6-3, in the Flight A first round. Huet recovered in the consolation bracket, defeating Markovic of Wisconsin, 6-4, 6-4. Huet will face Milinkovic of Depaul in the consolation semifinals on Sunday.

Freshman Teona Tsertsvadze fell in the Flight A first round, 7-5, 6-2, to Lui of Northwestern who is ranked No. 89 nationally in singles. Tsertsvadze took the first set against Ferrazzi of Minnesota in the consolation bracket, but eventually lost, 1-6, 6-2, 6-1. Tsertsvadze will play Rafael of Notre Dame on Sunday in the consolation bracket.

Sophomore Kristina Radan took the first set against Wisconsin's Berner in Flight C singles but lost after the tiebreaker set, 4-6, 6-0, 6-0. Radan went on to defeat Denny of WMU, 6-4, 6-0, in the consolation bracket. Radan will face Maisak of South Carolina on Sunday in the consolation bracket semifinals.

Freshman Brittany Parks picked up a win in the first round against Akron's Benjamin, 7-6, 6-2. Parks then lost to Bystrom of South Carolina, 6-0, 6-3, in the Flight C quarterfinals. Parks will play Chupa of Wisconsin in the consolation bracket on Sunday.

The Sooners will also continue doubles play at the Wildcat Invite on Sunday. Radan and Tsertsvadze will play in the Flight B final, while the rest of the Sooners will play in the doubles consolation brackets.

Wildcat Invite: Day Two Results
Flight A Singles
Kopricova (MINN) def. Huet (OU), 6-2, 6-3
No. 89 Lui (NU) def. Tsertsvadze (OU), 7-5, 6-2
Huet (OU) def. Markovic (WIS), 6-4, 6-4
Ferrazzi (MINN) def. Tsertsvadze (OU), 1-6, 6-2, 6-1

Flight B Singles
Palen (MINN) def. Connelly (OU), 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
Kalashnikova (OU) def. McKnight (DEP), 6-2, 1-6, 6-4
Connelly (OU) def. Barton (MSU), 5-7, 6-4, 6-2
Kalashnikova (OU) def. Seyferth (WIS), 6-2, 6-4

Flight C Singles
Berner (WIS) def. Radan (OU), 4-6, 6-0, 6-0
Parks (OU) def. Benjamin (AKR), 7-6, 6-2
Radan (OU) def. Denny (WMU), 6-4, 6-0
Bystrom (SC) def. Parks (OU), 6-0, 6-3

Flight D Singles
Eckel (OU) def. Gustafson (DEP), 6-4, 0-6, 6-1
Eckel (OU) def. Gruber (WIS), 6-1, 6-0

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Juniors Advance in Singles at Wildcat Invite

Related News

Related Videos

Sponsors