Jan. 16, 2005

LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Senior Ashley Robards (Henderson, Ky. / Henderson County H.S.) and sophomore Blakeley Griffith (Middleburg, Va. / Loudoun County H.S.) finished their run through the bracket for a flight title on Sunday at the Freeman Memorial Women's Tennis Championships. The duo topped Laura Ganzer and Megan McGavock of South Carolina in the flight two final, 8-4.

Meanwhile, junior Sabita Maharaj (Gainesville, Fla. / Buccholz H.S.) and freshman Ghizela Schutte (Ninapark, South Africa / Damelin College) rebounded from a first-round loss in the first flight of doubles play on Friday to win the consolation championship. The two defeated Stephanie Kusano and Cristina Visico of California, 8-3, in the semifinals, before earning the title with a default victory over Arizona State's Joslynn Burkett and Jessica Leitch.

The consolation round for the second flight of singles play saw freshman Bryce Marable (Darien, Ill. / Hinsdale South H.S.) win her semifinal match, 7-5, 6-3, over Tiffany Lee of Cal before defaulting the final to Judy DeVera of Southern California. In the first flight consolation semifinals, sophomore Vicky Jones (Tyne & Wear, U.K. / South Tyneside H.S.) lost to Lolita Frangulyan of Florida, 6-7, 7-6, 6-3.

Other singles matches saw Schutte defeat Kusano 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, and junior Melissa Schaub (Lexington, Ohio / Lexington H.S.) outpace Rebecca Rankin of Arizona State, 6-2, 7-5.

The 18th-ranked Lady Vols now open the dual-match portion of their schedule at 1 p.m. on Jan. 22 versus No. 15 North Carolina in Chapel Hill, the site of UT's first and second round victories over Wisconsin and the host Tar Heels in last season's NCAA Tournament. Both were by 4-3 scores and secured Tennessee's eighth consecutive trip to the Sweet 16.

TEAM KEY & CURRENT NATIONAL RANKING
Stanford 1
Florida 2
UCLA 5
Southern California 7
Georgia 13
California 15
Tennessee 18
South Carolina 36
Arizona State 38
UNLV 46

FLIGHT ONE SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP
(3) #10 Shadisha Robinson (UGA) def. Lejla Hodzic (STAN) 6-3, 6-4

FLIGHT TWO SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP
Jessica Leitch (ASU) def. Joanna Kao (STAN) 6-0, 6-3

FLIGHT ONE DOUBLES
SEMIFINALS
#41 Lejla Hodzic/Whitney Deason (STAN) def. #3 Whitney Benik/Lolita Frangulyan (UF) 8-5
#5 Daniela Bercek/Riza Zalameda (UCLA) def. Shadisha Robinson/Caroline Basu (UGA) 9-7
CHAMPIONSHIP
#5 Daniela Bercek/Riza Zalameda (UCLA) def. #41 Lejla Hodzic/Whitney Deason (STAN) 8-4

FLIGHT TWO DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP
Blakeley Griffith / Ashley Robards (UT) def. Laura Ganzer/Megan McGavock (SCAR) 8-4

FLIGHT ONE SINGLES CONSOLATION
SEMIFINALS
NOTE: Draw rearranged because of teammates facing each other
#74 Lolita Frangulyan (UF) def. Victoria Jones (UT) 6-7, 7-6, 6-3
Whitney Benik (UF) def. Marion Ravelojaona (CAL) 6-3, 6-3
CHAMPIONSHIP
Not Played

FLIGHT TWO SINGLES CONSOLATION
SEMIFINALS
Bryce Marable (UT) def. Tiffany Lee (CAL) 7-5, 6-3
Judy DeVera (SCAL) def. Justine Walsh (SCAR) 6-3, 6-1
CHAMPIONSHIP
Judy DeVera (SCAL) def. Bryce Marable (UT) by default

FLIGHT ONE DOUBLES CONSOLATION
SEMIFINALS
Sabita Maharaj/Ghizela Schutte (UT) def. Stephanie Kusano /Cristina Visico (CAL) 8-3
Joslynn Burkett/Jessica Leitch (ASU) def. Alex Liles/Nina Suvak (UF) 8-4
CHAMPIONSHIP
Sabita Maharaj/Ghizela Schutte (UT) def. Joslynn Burkett/Jessica Leitch (ASU) by default

FLIGHT TWO DOUBLES CONSOLATION CHAMPIONSHIP
Sabrina Capannolo/Rebecca Rankin (ASU) def. Grace Blakely/Justine Walsh (SCAR) 8-3

ADDITIONAL SINGLES MATCHES
Sabrina Capannolo (ASU) def. Nina Suvak (UF) 6-1, 6-1
Joslynn Burkett (ASU) def. Caroline Basu (UGA) 7-6, 6-1
Cristina Visico (CAL) def. Christyn Lucas (SCAR) 7-6, 6-1
Jessica Shu (CAL) def. Grace Blakeley (SCAR) 6-1, 6-7, 1-0 (10-4)
Ghizela Schutte (UT) def. Stephanie Kusano (CAL) 3-6, 6-2, 6-3
Melissa Schaub (UT) def. Rebecca Rankin (ASU) 6-2, 7-5

ADDITIONAL DOUBLES MATCH
Gutierrez/Wojdylo (SCAR) def. Shu/Lee (CAL) 8-2