2008 Woodie Awards
Women's tennis doubles beaten in quarterfinals of ITA East Regional tournament
By Kyle Cornelissen
Issue date: 9/30/05 Section: Sports
Over the past weekend, the Slippery Rock University women's tennis team discovered the very thing their team will rely on throughout the season. The secret of the SRU tennis players is their exceptional team chemistry.
"There is chemistry with this team that I can clearly see," Coach Matt Meredith said. "It is very enjoyable to coach around. The girls are having fun and are all bonding very well."
The International Tennis Association (ITA) East Regional tournament took place over the last weekend for eastern schools.
Slippery Rock's number one ranked women's tennis doubles team of senior Ashley Michaux and freshman Kayla Blackburn would faced the doubles team from Adelphi University on Saturday. The Rock's doubles team came through with the win over Adelphi by the score of 8-1. Michaux and Blackburn moved on to the quarterfinals on Sunday, but loss the decision to California of Pennsylvania's doubles team 9-7.
The Rock's second ranked doubles team would also advance to the quarterfinals. Freshmen Kelli Parnell and Sarah Karagianis won their match 8-2 over Adelphi's other doubles team.
In "B" doubles Lara Rizzi and Erika McKenna moved right past their first round with a walk-over victory, but was shut out in the second round by Clarion's doubles team 8-0.
In the singles matches later that day, the Rock ran into some trouble. In her very first singles match of the day, Michaux pulled her hamstring and her opponent, Priya Pachkawde of Kutztown, took advantage and won in two sets, 6-3 and 6-1. Blackburn lost in two sets, 6-2 and 6-2, in her quarterfinal match as well.
Parnell won her first match in a walk-over, and then lost her second round match later that day 6-0 and 6-2 to Bloomsburg's Emily Murphy.
In the "B" single battles, McKenna lost to Bloomburg's Tracy Nissenbaum 6-3 and 6-1 as Karagianis won her first round match 7-5, 4-6 and 1-0. Karagianis would then lose to Nissenbaum in the next round by the score of 4-6, 6-3 and 1-0. Rizza would also lose in the first round to Queen's Tina Shumulevich 6-1, 1-6 and 1-0.
"We are a young team and I thought everyone did extremely well for it being their first time in the tournament," Coach Meredith said. "We are gaining experience and that's what this tournament does. I'm pleased and I think as you watch this team through the next years you will see them gain experience and knowledge."
This tournament only marks the beginning of the women's tennis season and there is more to come in the upcoming weeks.
"I expect us to be the top five in the region," Meredith said on the upcoming season. "I hope we are one or two out of our conference. University of California is a big competition this year, but I never count anyone out."
"There is chemistry with this team that I can clearly see," Coach Matt Meredith said. "It is very enjoyable to coach around. The girls are having fun and are all bonding very well."
The International Tennis Association (ITA) East Regional tournament took place over the last weekend for eastern schools.
Slippery Rock's number one ranked women's tennis doubles team of senior Ashley Michaux and freshman Kayla Blackburn would faced the doubles team from Adelphi University on Saturday. The Rock's doubles team came through with the win over Adelphi by the score of 8-1. Michaux and Blackburn moved on to the quarterfinals on Sunday, but loss the decision to California of Pennsylvania's doubles team 9-7.
The Rock's second ranked doubles team would also advance to the quarterfinals. Freshmen Kelli Parnell and Sarah Karagianis won their match 8-2 over Adelphi's other doubles team.
In "B" doubles Lara Rizzi and Erika McKenna moved right past their first round with a walk-over victory, but was shut out in the second round by Clarion's doubles team 8-0.
In the singles matches later that day, the Rock ran into some trouble. In her very first singles match of the day, Michaux pulled her hamstring and her opponent, Priya Pachkawde of Kutztown, took advantage and won in two sets, 6-3 and 6-1. Blackburn lost in two sets, 6-2 and 6-2, in her quarterfinal match as well.
Parnell won her first match in a walk-over, and then lost her second round match later that day 6-0 and 6-2 to Bloomsburg's Emily Murphy.
In the "B" single battles, McKenna lost to Bloomburg's Tracy Nissenbaum 6-3 and 6-1 as Karagianis won her first round match 7-5, 4-6 and 1-0. Karagianis would then lose to Nissenbaum in the next round by the score of 4-6, 6-3 and 1-0. Rizza would also lose in the first round to Queen's Tina Shumulevich 6-1, 1-6 and 1-0.
"We are a young team and I thought everyone did extremely well for it being their first time in the tournament," Coach Meredith said. "We are gaining experience and that's what this tournament does. I'm pleased and I think as you watch this team through the next years you will see them gain experience and knowledge."
This tournament only marks the beginning of the women's tennis season and there is more to come in the upcoming weeks.
"I expect us to be the top five in the region," Meredith said on the upcoming season. "I hope we are one or two out of our conference. University of California is a big competition this year, but I never count anyone out."
