University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Women's tennis has strong showing at Air Force Invitational
10/4/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
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AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – The Northern Colorado women's tennis team saved its best competition for the third and final day of the Air Force Invitational. The Bears, in their second tournament of the fall, had someone in finish in the top eight in all six ladders, as well as a top eight doubles team in all four flights.
“The AFA Invitational is historically a tough tournament with many good teams,” said Head Coach Brenda Vlasak. “This year there was 12 teams from all over the country. I felt like we showed up to compete and worked hard. We failed in a few matches, but I truly feel like our girls gave a good effort. With each new match and each new day we stepped it up and really worked on things they learned from the previous match. We were given this opportunity to see where we are at and how much harder we need to work in our practices to get to that next level. I feel confident that everyone is on the same page and ready to work hard in preparation for our spring season.”
Junior Jenny Whateley posted a 2-1 record in the Bravo flight en route to a third-place finish. Whateley received a bye in the first round and defeated A. Whitehead (UNC-Greensboro), 6-3, 1-6, 10-8 to move into the semifinals. She dropped a straight-sets match, 6-0, 6-3 to M. Macedo from Iowa State before defeating K. Stubbe from Arizona in the third-place match by default. In another match not listed in bracket play, Whateley fell 6-3, 6-3 to Manzi of Colorado.
In the Foxtrot flight, Taylor Schumacher finished in fourth-place after posting a record of 1-2. The freshman won in straight sets over D. Sutherland from UNCG to open the tournament, 6-2, 6-4. She then lost to eventual champion M. Voight (Air Force), 6-0, 6-0 and lost a three-set heartbreaker to G. De'Lisle-Tarr from Eastern Michigan, 6-0, 6-7 (4), 10-1.
Freshman Stephanie Catlin finished sixth in the Delta flight. She dropped her opening round to M. Toncheva (EMU), 6-3, 6-1, but bounced back to defeated S. Cassman (AF), 6-4, 2-6, 10-8. In the fifth-place match she lost in straight sets to J. Huh from Arizona, 6-2, 6-0.
Elizabeth Tapia placed seventh in the Eco flight, posting a record of 2-2. The freshman lost a three-set thriller to L. Buttner from Oregon, 6-3, 3-6, 11-9 and advanced via default over New Mexico's M. Oldani. She then lost 6-1, 6-1 to S. Cacciuttolo from Iowa State before defeating T. Hueffner from Air Force in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4.
Fellow freshman Lexie Filliol was also in the Eco flight. She dropped a 6-2, 1-6, 10-2 decision to C. Donnet from Eastern Michigan in the first round and lost 7-5, 6-2 to Oregon's R. Stuckemann in the second round. In consolation play, she dropped a 7-5, 7-5 decision to M. Kern from Columbia (?) before finishing the tournament with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Colorado State's K. Wooldridge.
Both Jill Kappel and Adriana Nieto placed eighth in their respective flights. Kappel competed in the Alpha flight, losing 6-2, 6-0 in the opening round to V. Popovici from Wyoming. She also fell 6-0, 6-2 to M. Rose from Oklahoma State and 3-6, 6-2, 10-4 to Eastern Michigan's N. Mebuke.
Nieto was in the Charlie flight where she lost 6-3, 6-0 to K. van Ginkel from Wyoming, 6-3, 6-4 to K. Eggleston from New Mexico and 6-2, 6-4 to CU's Manzi.
In the smaller Golf flight, freshman Jennifer Buchanon lost to E. Waites from Iowa State 6-2, 6-1 in the first round, lost 6-2, 7-5 to A. Shipperd from New Mexico in the third round and beat teammate Sami Lifpitz 6-3, 7-5 in the third round. Lifpitz lost to Shipperd, 6-1, 6-3 in round one and 6-0, 6-3 to Waites in the second round.
In doubles play, Schumacher and Buchanon were fourth in the third flight, while Catlin and Tapia finished sixth in the first flight. Lifpitz and Schumacher were also sixth in the fourth flight, while Kappel and Nieto were eighth in the third flight. Whateley and Filiol also finished eighth in the second flight.
The women conclude their fall season at ITA Regionals in Las Vegas, Oct. 12-16.
