Jan. 14, 2005

LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Sophomore Blakeley Griffith (Middleburg, Va. / Loudoun County H.S.) rebounded from a 6-0 whitewashing in the first set to defeat Judy DeVera of Southern California in the next two, 6-2, 7-6, to highlight of first day of play for the University of Tennessee Lady Vol tennis squad at the Freeman Memorial Women's Tennis Championships. Griffith's win in the second round followed a first round bye and moved her into Saturday's quarterfinals, where she will face Megan McGavock of South Carolina.

In the same flight, freshman Ghizela Schutte (Ninapark, South Africa / Damelin College) won her first singles match as a Lady Vol, topping Lisa Lester of UNLV, 6-2, 6-1, before falling to Arizona State's Jessica Leitch, 6-2, 6-2. Freshman Bryce Marable (Darien, Ill. / Hinsdale South H.S.) received a bye in the first round before dropping her second-round match to ASU's Rebecca Rankin, 6-2, 7-6.

The first flight of singles action saw junior Sabita Maharaj (Gainesville, Fla. / Buccholz H.S.) top Sharon Marin of UNLV, 6-2, 6-2, before falling to the third-ranked singles player in the country, Suzi Babos of California, 6-2, 7-6. Sophomore Vicky Jones (Tyne & Wear, U.K. / South Tyneside H.S.) lost her first round contest versus Joslynn Burkett of Arizona State, 6-3, 6-1, before defeating Fallon Koon from South Carolina, 6-2, 6-1, in the consolation round.

Junior Melissa Schaub (Lexington, Ohio / Lexington H.S.) and Marable teamed up in doubles play to top ASU's Sabrina Capannolo and Rankin, 8-6, in the quarterfinals of the second flight. Griffith and senior Ashley Robards (Henderson, Ky. / Henderson County H.S.) defeated Stephanie Kusano and Tiffany Lee of California, 8-2, in their quarterfinal match.

In the first flight, Maharaj and Schutte teamed up and fell just short of Anca Anastasiu and DeVera of South Carolina, 8-6, while Jones partnered with Florida Gator Nina Suvak and was defeated by Babos and Marion Ravelojaona of California, 8-5.

The tournament continues on Saturday with action on the UNLV campus beginning at 9:30 a.m. PST before the competition concludes Sunday. The 18th-ranked Lady Vols open the dual-match portion of the schedule at 1 p.m. on Jan. 22 at No. 15 North Carolina.

Full results are listed below.

2005 FREEMAN MEMORIAL TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Fertitta Tennis Complex, Las Vegas, NV
TEAM KEY & CURRENT NATIONAL RANKING
Stanford             STAN   1
Florida              UF     2
UCLA                 UCLA   5
Southern California  SCAL   7
Georgia              UGA    13
California           CAL    15
Tennessee            UT     18
South Carolina       SCAR   36
Arizona State        ASU    38
UNLV                 UNLV   46

FLIGHT ONE SINGLES
ROUND ONE Jan. 14
(SEED) #National Ranking
(1) #3 Suzi Babos BYE
#50 Sabita Maharaj (UT) def. Sharon Marin (UNLV) 6-2, 6-2
(7) #39 Natalie Frazier (UGA) def. Miranda Gutierrez (SCAR) 7-5, 6-0
Lejla Hodzic (STAN) def. #74 Lolita Frangulyan (UF) 6-2, 6-3
(4) #20 Daniela Bercek (UCLA) BYE
Sabrina Capannolo (ASU) def. Whitney Benik (UF) 7-5, 6-4
(6) #35 Theresa Logar (STAN) def. Chrystyn Lucas (SCAR) 6-1, 6-1
#62 Anca Anastasiu (SCAL) def. Caroline Basu (UGA) 6-1, 6-1
#100 Joslynn Burkett (ASU) def. #107 Victoria Jones (UT) 6-3, 6-1
(5) #21 Elena Gantcheva (UNLV) def. Fallon Koon (SCAR) 6-1, 6-3
Cristina Visico (CAL) BYE
(3) #10 Shadisha Robinson (UGA) BYE
#101 Nina Suvak (UF) def. Marion Ravelojaona (CAL) 6-4, 6-0
(8) #41 Whitney Deason (STAN) def. Kelly Hyndman (UGA) 4-6, 6-2, 6-0
Laura Ganzer (SCAR) def. Gyorgyi Zsiros (UNLV) 7-6 6-1
(2) #9 Riza Zalameda (UCLA) BYE

ROUND TWO Jan. 14
(1) #3 Suzi Babos def. #50 Sabita Maharaj (UT) 6-2, 7-6
Lejla Hodzic (STAN) def. (7) #39 Natalie Frazier (UGA) 6-4, 7-5
(4) #20 Daniela Bercek (UCLA) def. Sabrina Capannolo (ASU) 7-6, 6-2
(6) #35 Theresa Logar (STAN) def. #62 Anca Anastasiu (SCAL) 6-4, 6-4
(5) #21 Elena Gantcheva (UNLV) def. #100 Joslynn Burkett (ASU) 6-1, 6-4
(3) #10 Shadisha Robinson (UGA) def. Cristina Visico (CAL) 6-1, 6-4
(8) #41 Whitney Deason (STAN) def. #101 Nina Suvak (UF) 7-6 (5), 6-4
(2) #9 Riza Zalameda (UCLA) def.  Laura Ganzer (SCAR) 6-3, 6-4

FLIGHT TWO SINGLES
ROUND ONE Jan. 14
Stephanie Kusano (CAL) BYE
Magda Wojdylo (SCAR) def. Claire Smith (UNLV) 6-2, 6-2
Bryce Marable (UT) BYE
Rebecca Rankin (ASU) BYE
Anne Claire Ortiz-Luis (UNLV) BYE
Grace Blakely (SCAR) BYE
Joanna Kao (STAN) def. Stephanie Serrano (UNLV) 6-1, 6-1
Tiffany Lee (CAL) BYE
Jessica Leitch (ASU) BYE
Ghizela Schutte (UT) def. Lisa Lester (UNLV) 6-2, 6-1
Linda Tempelfelde (UNLV) BYE
Justine Walsh (SCAR) BYE
Megan McGavock (SCAR) BYE
Jessica Shu (CAL) def. Cindy Treber (UNLV) 6-0, 6-1
Blakeley Griffith (UT) BYE
Judy DeVera (SCAL) BYE

ROUND TWO Jan. 14
Stephanie Kusano (CAL) def. Magda Wojdylo (SCAR) 6-4, 6-2
Rebecca Rankin (ASU) def. Bryce Marable (UT) 6-2, 7-6
Anne Claire Ortiz-Luis (UNLV) def. Grace Blakely (SCAR) 2-6, 6-3, 6-4
Joanna Kao (STAN) def. Tiffany Lee (CAL) 6-4, 6-2
Jessica Leitch (ASU) def. Ghizela Schutte (UT) 6-2, 6-2
Linda Tempelfelde (UNLV) def. Justine Walsh (SCAR) 1-6, 7-5, 7-6
Megan McGavock (SCAR) def. Jessica Shu (CAL) 4-6, 7-5, 6-2
Blakeley Griffith (UT) def. Judy DeVera (SCAL) 0-6, 6-2, 7-6

FLIGHT ONE DOUBLES
ROUND ONE Jan. 14
#3 Whitney Benik/Lolita Frangulyan (UF) BYE
Kelley Hyndman/Natalie Frazier (UGA) def. Jessica Shu/Cristina Visico (CAL) 8-4
#41 Lejla Hodzic/Whitney Deason (STAN) def. Christyn Lucas/Mangda Wojdylo (SCAR) 8-4
Anca Anastasiu/Judy DeVera (SCAL) def. Sabita Maharaj/Ghizela Schutte (UT) 8-6
Elena Gantcheva/Sharon Marin (UNLV) def. Theresa Logar/Joanna Kao (STAN) 8-6
Shadisha Robinson/Caroline Basu (UGA) def. Joslynn Burkett/Jessica Leitch (ASU) 8-4
Susanna Babos/Marion Ravelojaona (CAL) def. Liles/Suvak (UF) 8-5
#5 Daniela Bercek/Riza Zalameda (UCLA) def. Fallon Koon/Miranda Gutierrez (SCAR) 8-4

FLIGHT TWO DOUBLES
ROUND ONE Jan. 14
Laura Ganzer/Megan McGavock (SCAR) def. Gyorgyi Zsiros/Claire Smith (UNLV) 8-3
Melissa Schaub/Bryce Marable (UT) def. Sabrina Capannolo/Rebecca Rankin (ASU) 8-6
Anne Claire Ortiz/Luis/Linda Tempelfelde (UNLV) def. Grace Blakely/Justine Walsh (SCAR) 8-6
Blakeley Griffith/Ashley Robards (UT) def. Stephanie Kusano/Tiffany Lee (CAL) 8-2

FLIGHT ONE SINGLES CONSOLATION
ROUND ONE Jan. 14
Sharon Marin (UNLV) BYE
#74 Lolita Frangulyan (UF) def. Miranda Gutierrez (SCAR) 6-4, 7-6
Whitney Benik (UF) BYE
Chrystyn Lucas (SCAR) def. Caroline Basu (UGA) 6-4, 7-5
Victoria Jones (UT) def. Fallon Koon (SCAR) 6-2, 6-1
Cristina Visico (CAL) BYE
Marion Ravelojaona (CAL) def. Kelly Hyndman (UGA) by injury default
Gyorgyi Zsiros (UNLV) BYE