Miami Begins Play at ITA All-American Championships

Sept. 27, 2008

Pre-Qualifying Singles Bracket | Pre-Qualifying Doubles Bracket

Pacific Palisades, Calif. – University of Miami women’s tennis player Bianca Eichkorn cruised into the Round of 16 on Saturday with back-to-back wins in the Pre-Qualifying Singles draw at the 2008 Riviera/ITA Women’s All-America Championships in Pacific Palisades, Calif.

Eichkorn, seeded No. 9 for the Pre-Qualifying draw, earned her first win of the day over Christine Johnston (Kentucky) with a 6-2, 6-1 advantage.

She came back later in the afternoon for a 6-1, 6-1 victory against Arkansas’ Anouk Tigu, advancing to the Round of 16 on Sunday afternoon.

Eichkorn will battle Fresno State’s Renata Kucerkova on Sunday in a match beginning at noon.

UM freshman Gabriela Mejia was also in action in the Pre-Qualifying singles draw as she defeated Maja Sujica (San Diego) in the first round with a straight-set win on 6-3, 6-2

Mejia was unable to sustain that momentum in the second round as she fell to Kentucky’s Carolina Escamilla in a great match on scores of 7-5, 6-4.

However, the day would not be over for Mejia as she and Eichkorn teamed up in the Pre-Qualifying for doubles, collecting an 8-5 win over Kayla Duncan and Gaby Mastromarino (TCU). They will play again on Sunday when they face-off against the team of Estefania Balda and Laurianne Henry from ACC foe Clemson at 2 p.m.

For more information on participating Hurricanes and the ITA Championships, please locate your internet browser to www.ITAtennis.com.