Kentucky Pair Leads Upsets in NCAA Quarterfinals
Thursday, May 22, 2003 | Women's Tennis
Upsets were served up at the Ring Tennis Complex during Thursday's quarterfinal action, as the top three seeds were eliminated in the NCAA Doubles Championships.
Kentucky's Sarah Witten and Amy Trefethen outlasted Stanford's top-seeded Lauren Barnikow and Erin Burdette 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in a match lasting two hours and 41 minutes. The California duo of Christina Fusano and Raquel Kops-Jones took down Georgia's No. 2-seeded team of Agata Cioroch and Lori Grey 6-4, 6-2, while Florida's Jennifer Magley and Zerene Reyes topped Vanderbilt's third-seeded Sarah Riske and Aleke Tsoubanos 6-3, 6-2.
The other quarterfinal match featured a pair of unseeded teams, with VCU's Silvia Urickova and Barbora Zahnova defeating Oregon's Courtney Nagle and Daria Panova 6-2, 6-2.
While upsets were the norm on the doubles courts, the singles seeds held true to form - for the most part. Eighth-seeded Jewel Peterson from Southern California upset No. 2-seeded Cristelle Grier from Northwestern 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.
Top-seeded Vilmarie Castellvi from Tennessee continued her torrid pace through the singles draw, today eliminating Mira Radu from Mississippi 6-4, 6-1. Castellvi was the lone quarterfinal winner to advance with straight sets. Castellvi faces Southeastern Conference rival Agata Cioroch, the No. 4 seed from Georgia in the semifinals. Cioroch defeated sixth-seeded Racquel Kops-Jones from Cal 6-7 (2), 6-2, 6-2 in her quarterfinal contest.
Peterson's semifinal opponent will be a familiar one, as Stanford's fifth-seeded Amber Liu ended the Cinderella run of Penn's Alice Pirsu 1-6, 6-1, 6-1.
Both semifinal singles matches begin at 9 a.m. Friday morning, while the doubles matches are scheduled for 12 Noon.
There is the possibility of rain in the Gainesville area on Friday. The Ring Tennis Complex features a covered Pavilion where one match could be played at a time if necessary. If inclement weather occurs, fans can call the Gator WeatherLine (352-375-4683, ext. 3044) for updates on the status of all matches.
NCAA Singles & Doubles Championships
Ring Tennis Complex, Gainesville, FL
Thursday, May 22, 2003
NCAA Women's Tennis Singles Championships Quarterfinals
(1) Vilmarie Castellvi, Tennessee d. (9-16) Mira Radu, Ole Miss 6-4, 6-1 (1:31)
(4) Agata Cioroch, Georgia d. (6) Racquel Kops-Jones, Cal 6-7 (2), 6-2, 6-2 (2:22)
(5) Amber Liu, Stanford d. Alice Pirsu, Pennsylvania 1-6, 6-1, 6-1 (2:10)
(8) Jewel Peterson, Southern Calif. d. (2) Cristelle Grier, Northwestern 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 (2:19)
NCAA Women's Tennis Doubles Championship Quarterfinals
(5-8) Sarah Witten/Amy Trefethen, Kentucky d. (1) Lauren Barnikow/Erin Burdette, Stanford 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 (2:41)
(5-8) Jennifer Magley/Zerene Reyes, Florida d. (3) Sarah Riske/Aleke Tsoubanos, Vanderbilt 6-3, 6-2 (1:21)
Silvia Urickova/Barbora Zahnova, VCU d. Courtney Nagle/Daria Panova, Oregon 6-2, 6-2 (1:25)
(5-8) Christina Fusano/Raquel Kops-Jones, Cal d. (2) Agata Cioroch/Lori Grey, Georgia 6-4, 6-2 (1:45)
(Length of each match recorded after scores)
END OF REPORT
