Eichkorn Advances to Qualifying for All-American Championships
Sept. 29, 2008
Malibu, Calif. – Miami sophomore women’s tennis player Bianca Eichkorn erased her doubles defeat with a victory in singles action on Monday morning advancing to the qualifying round of the 2008 Riviera/ITA All-American Championships. The next round of the event will take place at the Riviera Tennis Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif.
Eichkorn, earlier today selected as this week’s UM Muscle Milk Student-Athlete of the Week, fought off Boise State’s Pichitta Thongdach in a hard-fought three-set match 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 in order to advance to the qualifying round.
Along the way, the Tengen, Germany native battled past three opponents en route to the victory today, allowing her entry to the qualification process of this year’s tournament. The pre-qualifying rounds were held at Pepperdine University in Malibu.
Eichkorn now faces Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) opponent Sasha Kulikova of Wake Forest University on Tuesday, Sept. 30 at 10:30 am [PST]. She is in the midst of a seven-match win streak dating back to her season-opening loss in the 16th Annual William & Mary Invitational.
Other Hurricanes joining Eichkorn in the first round of the qualifying bracket will be Michaela Kissell, ranked No. 49 in the preseason ITA polls. Kissell plays her first round match against Thongdach who did, in fact, qualify despite the loss to Eichkorn earlier today.
Newcomer and sophomore Julia Cohen is in the bottom-half of the qualifying bracket and sits seeded second overall for this portion of the event. She takes on Ohio State’s Kirsten Flower in her first match on Tuesday at 10:30 am. Cohen enters the 2008-09 year for her first-ever competition as a Hurricane ranked No. 25 in the ITA preseason polls.
If successful, the Hurricanes players will advance to their next match scheduled for Tuesday at 2 p.m. and 3:45 pm respectively.
Make sure to stay tuned to www.hurricanesports.com as we track the Hurricanes throughout the entire week, including the main draw of the singles and doubles competition which features two-time All-American Laura Vallverdu who begins her 2008-09 collegiate season ranked No. 14 in the preseason polls.
For more information on participating Hurricanes and the ITA Championships, please locate your internet browser to www.ITAtennis.com.
Qualifying (at Riviera)
Tues., Sept. 30 – 1st and 2nd Round Singles/1st Round Doubles
Wed., Oct. 1 – 3rd Round Singles/2nd and 3rd Round Doubles
Main Draw (at Riviera)
Thurs., Oct. 2 – 1st Round Singles/1st Round Doubles
Fri., Oct. 3 – 2nd and QF Singles/QF Doubles
Sat., Oct. 4 – SF Singles and Doubles
Sun., Oct. 5 – Championship Matches
