Oct. 4, 2008

Denver, Colo. - The University of Tulsa women's tennis team finished with a 13-2 singles record and a 5-2 doubles mark after two rounds of singles and doubles on a rain-drenched opening day of play at the U.S. Air Force Academy Invitational. The field was forced to play late into the evening on Friday due to inclement weather, but the Hurricane sent seven singles players and two doubles teams into semifinals action on Saturday.

After receiving a first round bye, Alexandra Kichoutkin defeated Air Force's Christine Abayan, 6-1, 6-3, in the second round of "Falcon Singles" to advance to the semifinals.

Jie Zeng and Marta Marcinkowska both moved into the "Silver Singles" semifinals after Zeng won her first and second round matches, and Marcinkowska won her second round match against Colorado's Camila Belassi, 6-4, 6-2, after earning a first round bye.

In "Blue Singles" both Anastasia Erofeeva and Rebecca Row advanced to the semifinals with Row sweeping through first round opponent Virginia Iwinski of Wyoming, 6-2, 6-1, and second round opponent Michala Hedelund Jensen of Colorado, 6-1, 6-0.

Freshmen Ewa Szatkowska and Yulia Gavenko won their first and second round matches in "White Singles" to head into semifinals play on Saturday. It was the first two matches of the year for Gavenko who soundly defeated Colorado State's Katie Brown, 6-0, 6-0, in the opening round, and knocked off Sarah Cassman of Air Force, 6-4, 6-1, in the second round.

In "Blue Doubles" both pairs of Jie Zeng/Yulia Gavenko and Alexandra Kichoutkin/Anastasia Erofeeva advanced to the semifinals after winning their first and second round matches.

U.S.A.F.A. Invitational Day One

Singles Agate

"Falcon Singles"
Round 1
Sarah Summerfield (WYO) def. Thalia Diaz-Barriga (TU), 6-1, 6-1.
#82 Alexandra Kichoutkin (TU) - BYE

Round 2
#82 Alexandra Kichoutkin (TU) def. Christine Ayaban (AF), 6-1, 6-3.

Consolation Semifinals
Thalia Diaz-Barriga (TU) def. Caitlin Fluegge (CSU), 6-2, 6-1.

"Silver Singles"
Round 1
Jie Zeng (TU) def. Allie Chermal (AF), 6-0, 7-6(1).
Marta Marcinkowska (TU) - BYE

Round 2
Jie Zeng def. Carly Van Hollen (WYO), 6-4, 6-1.
Marta Marcinkowska def. Camila Belassi (CU), 6-4, 6-2.

"Blue Singles"
Round 1
Anastasia Erofeeva (TU) - BYE
Rebecca Row (TU) def. Virginia Iwinski (WYO), 6-2, 6-1.

Round 2
Anastasia Erofeeva (TU) def. Shannon Young (AF), 0-6, 6-1, 6-2.
Rebecca Row (TU) def. Michala Hedelund Jensen (CU), 6-1, 6-0.

"White Singles"
Round 1
Ewa Szatkowska (TU) def. Carolina Chaix (WYO), 6-1, 6-1.
Yulia Gavenko (TU) def. Katie Brown (CSU), 6-0, 6-0.

Round 2
Ewa Szatkowska (TU) def. Rui Xu (CSU), 6-1, 6-2.
Yulia Gavenko (TU) def. Sarah Cassman (AF), 6-4, 6-1.

"Black Singles" Round Robin
Round 1
Madie Kern (CU) def. Caroline Beaulieu (TU), 2-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Round 2
Caroline Beaulieu (TU) def. Manar Al-Jazzaf (CSU), 6-3, 6-4.

Doubles Agate

"Silver Doubles"
Round 1
Row/Szatkowska (TU) def. Sarkis/Kiser (AF), 8-1.
Diaz-Barriga/Marcinkowska (TU) - BYE

Round 2
Milewski/Belassi (CU) def. Row/Szatkowska (TU), 8-3.
Ta. Knop/Santos (UNC) def. Diaz-Barriga/Marcinkowska (TU), 8-5.

"Blue Doubles" Round 1
Zeng/Gavenko (TU) def. Johnson/Cassman (AF), 8-2.
Kichoutkin/Erofeeva (TU) def. Wahba/Jensen (CU), 8-4.

Round 2
Zeng/Gavenko (TU) def. Nelson/Chaix (WYO), 8-0.
Kichoutkin/Erofeeva (TU) def. Smoke/Chermel (AF), 8-6.