Tennis: Mountaineers Conclude Martha Thorn Invite
September 14, 2008 05:17 PM | General
By Kelly Tuckwiller for MSNsportsNET.com
September 14, 2008
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The West Virginia University tennis team concluded play in the sixth annual Martha Thorn Invitational today as they took the top two spots in the singles Flight ‘B’ draw.
"We got off to tough start Saturday, but rebounded today and played some very solid singles,” says Head Coach Marc Walters. “Of course the highlights for us were taking the top two spots in the ‘B’ Singles with Olga (Elkin) and Monique (Burton), but everyone had some strong moments which led me to see the improvement we are making."
Junior Olga Elkin led the Mountaineers today in the Flight ‘B’ singles draw, taking the title over teammate junior Monique Burton in a, 6-2, 6-2 match. The win marked Elkin’s second-straight singles title this season.
Earlier in the day, Burton defeated Madeline Majdalani from Duquesne in a hard fought 6-4, 6-3 match.
“Burton had her best two days as Mountaineer this weekend and I couldn't be happier for her,” says Walters. “She's literally stepped it up to another level, making the ‘B’ finals before falling to Olga.”
Also highlighting the day was junior Gabriela Blaskovicova who captured the Flight ‘D’ singles title with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Margaux Melby from Presbyterian.
In the singles Flight ‘C’ draw, both Milica Pantovic and Stephanie LaFortune made it to the semi-final round of competition. Pantovic downed Kenisha Webb from Wright State in a 7-6(3), 6-3 match, while Lafortune defeated Wright State’s Masha Peresetsky, 7-5, 7-5.
The Mountaineers have next weekend off and will return to action on Sept. 26, as they travel to West Point, N.Y., to compete in the Army Invite.
