The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
UNLV Invitational
Women's Tennis claims six singles draws at UNLV and Rice Invitationals
09.27.2009 | Women's Tennis
Sept. 27, 2009
AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas wrapped up a productive weekend at two sites Sunday with title victories in six singles flights at the UNLV Fall Invitational and the Rice Invitational.
Senior Vanja Corovic highlighted the Longhorns' successful stint in Las Vegas by claiming the top singles flight at the UNLV Fall Invitational. Corovic knocked off UNLV's 90th-ranked Kristina Nedeltcheva by a 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 count in the title match. Sophomore Krista Damico added a consolation-round victory in flight one.
"Vanja played very well today," UT head coach Patty Fendick-McCain said. "She was cool, calm and collected, and she competed well."
Freshman Aeriel Ellis nearly captured her first collegiate singles title and fell just shy of a win in the flight two singles championship match, where she fell to UNLV's Jana Albers, 6-4, 2-6, 7-5. Junior Caroline Larsson added a 6-2, 6-1 win over Missouri's Kaitlyn Ritchie in flight two.
Junior Maggie Mello scored the second title win in Las Vegas with a 6-7, 6-2, 6-3 win over UNLV's Adrienn Hidvegi in the flight three singles finals.
"Maggie played and competed extremely well," Fendick-McCain said. "Maggie is incredibly fit, and we knew she could go all day. She wasn't playing her best early on, but she really managed to concentrate and use her weapons. She just played a super match and hit some amazing shots."
Junior Amanda Craddock and senior Stephanie Davison went head-to-head in the flight four singles finals, where Craddock prevailed in three sets, 7-5, 6-7, 6-3.
"Amanda and Stephanie played three great sets of tennis," Fendick-McCain said. "Stephanie got down, but she fought so hard to come back and get back in it. It was great to see them playing so hard and having so much pride in themselves out there."
Sophomores Maya Zein-El-Abdin, Carlene Leyden and Julia Wiegand won their respective singles flights at the Rice Invitational in Houston. Zein-El-Abdin posted a 6-4, 6-1 win over Varsha Shiva-Shankar in the flight six singles finals, and Leyden dealt Oklahoma's Tara Eckel a 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 defeat in the flight seven finals. Wiegand defeated Tulane's Jessica Lange by a 6-2, 1-6, 7-5 count in the flight eight finals.
Texas returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 3 at the ITA All-American Championships in Los Angeles.
UNLV Fall Invitational
Flight 1 Singles Finals
#65 Vanja Corovic (UT) def. #90 Kristina Nedeltcheva (UNLV) - 7-5, 4-6, 6-1
Flight 1 Consolation
Krista Damico (UT) def. Jaimie Mera (UM) - 6-3, 6-2
Flight 2 Singles Finals
Jana Albers (UNLV) def. Aeriel Ellis (UT) - 6-4, 2-6, 7-5
Additional Flight 2 Match: Caroline Larsson (UT) def. Kaitlyn Ritchie (UM) - 6-2, 6-1
Flight 3 Singles Finals
Maggie Mello (UT) def. Adrienn Hidvegi (UNLV) - 6-7, 6-2, 6-3
Additional Flight 3 Match: Sarah Lancaster (UT) def. Danielle Day (UM) - 6-0, 6-0
Flight 4 Singles Finals
Amanda Craddock (UT) def. Stephanie Davison (UT) - 7-5, 6-7, 6-3
Rice Invitational
Flight 4 Singles Consolation
Abby Liu (UT) def. Melissa Hadad (Texas State) - 6-1, 6-1
Flight 6 Singles
Maya Zein-El-Abdin (UT) def. Varsha Shiva-Shankar (Rice) - 6-4, 6-1
Flight 7 Singles
Carlene Leyden (UT) def. Tara Eckel (Oklahoma) - 6-3, 1-6, 6-2
Flight 8 Singles
Julia Wiegand (UT) def. Jessica Lange (Tulane) - 6-2, 1-6, 7-5
