`Canes Off to a Strong Start at Regionals Behind Eichkorn
Oct. 22, 2010
ATHENS, Ga. – University of Miami women’s tennis players Bianca Eichkorn and Anna Bartenstein each won a pair of singles matches Friday to advance into the third round of the 2010 USTA/ITA Southeast Regional Championship at the University of Georgia’s Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
Second-seeded Eichkorn (6-1) cruised to a 6-0, 6-1 victory in the opening round of singles play over Florida State’s Federica Suess before taking down Georgia’s Lilly Kimbell, 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 in the second round. Fifth-seeded Bartenstein (5-1) picked up back-to-back straight set wins with a 6-3, 7-6 (2) victory over Muriel Wacker of Georgia Tech before handling FIU’s Christine Seredni, 7-5, 6-1.
Earlier in the day, Eichkorn and Bartenstein – the tournament’s top-seeded doubles squad – downed FIU’s Liset Brito and Maria Spenceley, 8-6, in first round doubles action, while teammates Gabriela Mejia and Kayla Rizzolo won a hard fought 9-8 (1) match against Georgia Tech’s Elizabeth Kilborn and Jillian O’Neill.
“I was impressed with the way the girls came out and competed today,” associate head coach Jeff Thomsen said. “We came out ready to play and expect the same effort from our group tomorrow.”
Mejia won her opening round singles match, 6-4, 6-1 over Kilborn before falling in round two to Olivia Janowicz, 6-3, 2-6, 0-6. Rizzolo dropped her first singles match, 3-6, 3-6, to FIU’s Brito.
Saturday’s action will open with doubles play beginning at 9 a.m. Eichkorn and Bartenstein are set to take on Georgia Tech’s Wacker and Rocio Alberca Lopez while Mejia and Rizzolo will play Florida A&M’s Deke Olagbegi and Britney Dean.
When singles play picks back up in the afternoon, Eichkorn will take on Florida’s Alexandra Cercone while Bartenstein will play FSU’s Katie Rybakova. Rizzolo will face Georgia Southern’s Paola Garrido-Rodriguez in the first round of the consolation bracket.
For updates on the Hurricanes’ progress in Georgia, be sure to visit HurricaneSports.com throughout the weekend.
USTA/ITA SOUTHEAST REGIONAL TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Saturday: Play begins at 9 a.m.
Doubles: Round of 16
Doubles: Quarterfinals
Consolation Singles: Round of 32
Singles Main Draw: Round of 16
Consolation Singles: Round of 16
Sunday: Play begins at 10 a.m.
Consolation Singles: Quarterfinals
Singles Main Draw: Quarterfinals
Consolation Singles: Semifinals
Singles Main Draw: Semifinals
Doubles: Semifinals
Monday: Play begins at 11 a.m.
Singles Main Draw: Final
Consolation Singles: Final
Doubles: Final
