Tennis: WVU Prevails on First Day
September 21, 2007 10:06 PM | General
By Steve Stone of MSNsportsNET.com
September 21, 2007
MORGANTOWN, W.Va - The West Virginia University womens tennis team showcased their talent on Friday, Sept. 21, at the Residence Inn North Wolfpack Invitational in Raleigh, N.C., winning eleven matches in singles and doubles play.
Natalia Prinz and Gabriela Blaskovicova got things started in Flight A2 doubles for the Mountaineers after defeating Maxwell-Brandalik of James Madison, 8-4, in a match that began at 8:30 a.m. Stephanie LaFortune and Alexandra Kaluza won in the same bracket, defeating No. 3 ranked Wetzig-Baird of Wofford, 8-1.
Monica Lyskawa and Stacey Percival also set the tone for WVU in Flight A1 doubles by beating Jenkins-Fido of Liberty, 8-6. Lyskawa was later defeated by Neils Barringer of N.C. State, 6-2, 7-6 (0), in Flight A1 singles.
Natalia Prinz began her day by pulling an upset over No. 1 seeded Kristin Nimitz of James Madison, 6-1, 6-1, in Flight B1 singles.
No. 2 ranked Kaluza notched her second win of the day after defeating Campbell’s Ana Surviladze, 6-2, 2-1, in a Flight C1 singles match where Surviladze was forced to forfeit due to injury.
WVU won another injury-plagued match as No. 1 seeded Blaskovicova defeated Martyna Hanusz of Liberty because of an injury default in Flight C2 singles.
In Flight C3 singles, LaFortune resumed her stellar play by defeating Campbell’s Cortney Armitano, 6-3, 6-2.
Monique Burton battled No. 1 ranked Barret Donner of James Madison in Flight D1 singles, pulling off an upset with a resounding 6-2, 6-3, victory to earn a place in semifinals play. Colleen Speaker followed suit by defeating No. 2 seeded Shannon Benic of Pitt, 3-6, 6-2, 6-4.
Freshman Ashley Renee Pilsbury, who has dominated so far in her first two fall invitationals, defeated James Madison’s Ida Donner, 6-3, 6-1, in Flight D2 singles. Pilsbury and Burton were also defeated by Surviladze-Surviladze of Campbell, 8-2, in Flight A3 doubles.
Stacey Percival took a win in Flight B2 singles after defeating Melissa Wolf of N.C. Wilmington, 6-4, 6-1, in quarterfinals play. She previously earned a bye in the first round.
The invitational, which is composed of 11 singles draws and three doubles brackets, continues tomorrow with quarterfinal and semifinal play throughout the day.
