Oct. 3, 2008

Riviera/ITA Women's All-American action continues this week, with more Women of Troy competing in the prestigious event. USC sophomore Maria Sanchez was tagged with a loss to open Qualifying singles action earlier this week, but bounced right back and powered through her consolation competition to claim that title. Senior Amanda Fink also fell in her first singles match, losing in today's Main Draw opener, and consequently enter the Main Draw consolation bracket. The senior went on to win her next two matches, moving into tomorrow's consolation semifinals at 11 a.m. at the Riviera Tennis Club.

Fink and Gabriela Niculescu also began their 2008-09 doubles action in the ITA Main Draw. The pair won its season opener 8-6 over Marshall's Schmitt/Soor but then was handed an early-season loss in an 8-0 decision to Fresno State's Kucerkova/Petukhoa.

Sanchez has had a busy stretch at the Riviera/ITA competition, as the sophomore worked through Qualifying singles and Pre-Qualifying doubles play. In doubles, Sanchez paired up with freshman Alison Ramos, going 1-1 during Pre-Qualifying before moving into the Qualifying doubles consolation bracket. There, Sanchez/Ramos won their first match 8-3 over Alabama's Welcher/Bigos, but then fell in a tight one 9-8 (2) to Georgia's Dancevic/Gilchrist. Sanchez powered on, however, taking the Qualifying singles consolation bracket by storm, winning all her matches in straight sets. Sanchez beat Oklahoma's Ana-Maria Constantinescu 7-5, 6-2 and moved on to top Wake Forest's Sasha Kulikova 6-3, 6-1. She advanced through her quarterfinal match with a walkover and then beat Duke's Amanda Granson 6-2, 6-2 in the semifinal. Today, Sanchez took down Taylor Ormond of Baylor 6-3, 6-1 to come way with the title in the Qualifying Singles Consolation.

In Fink's consolation push in singles, the senior got back in winning mode by pulling off two tight set wins to claim a 7-6 (4), 7-5 over Duke's Ellah Nze. That put Fink up against Vanderbilt's Catherine Newman, whom Fink dispatched with a 6-0, 6-7 (2), 6-1 decision that pushes the USC senior on to tomorrow's consolation semifinal match against Fresno State's Melanie Gloria at 11 a.m.

Riviera/ITA All-American Championships

MAIN DRAW SINGLES
First Round
Laura Gioia (Furman) def. Amanda Fink (USC) - 7-5, 6-4

MAIN DRAW SINGLES CONSOLATION
First Round
Amanda Fink (USC) def. Ellah Nze (Duke) - 7-6 (4), 7-5

Quarterfinals
Amanda Fink (USC) def. Catherine Newman (Van) - 6-0, 6-7(2), 6-1

Semifinals - Saturday (Oct. 4)
Amanda Fink (USC) vs. Melanie Gloria (FresnoSt) - 11 a.m.

MAIN DRAW DOUBLES
First Round
Fink/Niculescu (USC) def. Schmitt/Soor (Marshall) - 8-6

Quarterfinals
Kucerkova/Petukhova (FSU) def. Fink/Niculescu (USC) - 8-0

QUALIFYING SINGLES CONSOLATION
First Round
Maria Sanchez (USC) def. Ana-Maria Constantinescu (OKLA) - 7-5, 6-2

Round of 16
Maria Sanchez (USC) def. Sasha Kulikova (WAKE) - 6-3, 6-1

Quarterfinals
Maria Sanchez (USC) vs. Beier Ko (HARVARD) - w/o

Semifinals
Maria Sanchez (USC) def. Amanda Granson (Duke) - 6-4, 6-3

Championship
Maria Sanchez (USC) def. Taylor Ormond (BAY) - 6-3, 6-1

QUALIFYING DOUBLES CONSOLATION
First Round
Sanchez/Ramos (USC) def. Welcher/Bigos (ALA) - 8-3

Quarterfinals
Dancevic/Gilchrist (UGA) def. Sanchez/Ramos (USC) - 9-8 (2)