Oct. 22, 2009

By: Lindsey Williford, Media Relations Graduate Assistant

CINCINNATI, Ohio - After receiving first-round byes, the two University of Tennessee doubles teams rolled through second-round competition on day one of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Ohio Valley Regionals in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Thursday.

Despite a three-week gap from competitive play, the tournament's No. 1-seeded combo of senior Zsófia Zubor and junior Rosalía Alda easily claimed a victory in the Round of 32. The Tennessee tandem, after a getting a free pass to round two, faced fellow bye recipients Megan Martzolf and Anastasia Dracheva of Miami University. Zubor and Alda dropped only four games en-route to an 8-4 match victory, propelling them into Round of 16 action set to take place on Friday. The pair will face either Natalie Araya and Marietta Bigus of Middle Tennessee State University or Memphis' Amanda Brown and Dara Toulch.

UT also claimed another seeded position and first-round bye in doubles. This time it was junior Maria Sorbello and freshman Kata Szekely in the seventh spot. The duo faced Xavier University's Kelsey Kinnard and Tiffany Treece in the second round. Sorbello and Szekely took control of the match early and never let up to net an 8-1 win and a spot in round three. It has yet to be determined who they will face in Friday's match.

The Lady Vols send six into action tomorrow for the start of main draw singles. Senior Caitlin Whoriskey is the tournament's No. 1 seed, followed by Sorbello in fourth, sophomore Natalie Pluskota as the seventh-seed and Szekely in the eighth slot. Their opponents for tomorrow's Round of 64 matches have yet to be announced.

Zubor and Alda are also scheduled to play tomorrow. Zubor drew Eastern Kentucky's Anouk Faure. Alda will compete against Michelle Sammons from Purdue, the No. 13-ranked player in the Ohio Valley Regionals.

Doubles play begins at 10:00 a.m. CST and singles starts at 11:30 a.m. CST.

THURSDAY RESULTS

DOUBLES

No. 1 Zsófia Zubor/Rosalía Alda (UT) def. Anastasia Dracheva/Megan Martzolf (Miami U.) - 8-4

No. 7 Maria Sorbello/Kata Szekely (UT) def. Kelsey Kinnard/Tiffany Treece (Xavier) - 8-1

FRIDAY SCHEDULE

SINGLES

Caitlin Whoriskey (UT) vs. TBD - 11:30 a.m. CST

Rosalía Alda (UT) vs. Michelle Sammons (Purdue) - 11:30 a.m. CST

Kata Szekely (UT) vs. TBD - 1:00 p.m. CST

Zsófia Zubor (UT) vs. Anouk Faure (Eastern Kentucky) - 2:00 p.m. CST

Maria Sorbello vs. TBD - 2:30 p.m. CST

Natalie Pluskota vs. TBD - 3:30 p.m. CST

DOUBLES

No. 1 Zsófia Zubor/Rosalía Alda (UT) vs. - 10:00 a.m. CST

No. 7 Maria Sorbello/Kata Szekely (UT) vs. - 10:00 a.m. CST