Oct. 6, 2012
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.- The Washington State women's tennis team battled rain and wind while seeing six of eight players advance following the first day of play at the Air Force Invitational Friday.
The day began with doubles with only one Cougar team advancing to Saturday's semifinals. In the third flight, sophomore Charlotte Koning and freshman Lize Leenknecht captured a pair of victories, defeating Colorado's Matti Sperry and Laura Wegleitner,8-1, in the first round followed by a 9-8 victory over the pairing of Erin Troedson of Washington State and Illinois' Misia Kedzierski.
In the first flight, WSU's seniors Liudmila Vasilieva and Ksenia Googe received a first-round bye then dropped a close, 9-8, match to Colorado's Julyette Steur and Mazy Watrous in the quarterfinals. In flight two, Washington State senior Andjela Kankaras and sophomore Elizaveta Luzina posted a first-round win over Northern Colorado's Chrissie Hoolahan and Hilary Walters-West, 8-2, before dropping an 8-4 contest to the Illinois pair of Julia Jamieson and Audrey O'Connor in the quarterfinals.
In singles, five of the Cougar women advanced in their respective brackets. After a first round bye, Vasilieva defeated Natalie Heffron of Colorado State, 6-1, 6-3 in the first flight. Kankaras was able to pull out a victory after winning a close match against Caroline Schnell of Denver 7-5, 3-6, 10-6 in the second flight. In the third flight, Googe defeated Caroline Stark of Texas Tech 6-7, 7-6, 10-5.
Luzina advanced in the flight four bracket after defeating Melissa Cecil of Air Force 7-5, 6-1 following a first round bye. Koning advanced in the sixth flight by defeating Claire Uhle of North Colorado 6-4, 6-1.
Leenknecht fell to Christa Gecheva of Wyoming 4-6, 6-2, 10-3 in the fifth flight. Troedson fell to Alma Espinosa of Wyoming 6-3, 6-3.
Singles and double play is set to continue Saturday
WASHINGTON STATE TENNIS
Air Force Invitational
Colorado Springs, Colo.
Oct. 5-7, 2012
DOUBLES
FIRST ROUND
Flight 2
Andjlea Kankaras/Elizaveta Luzina (WSU) def. Chrissie Hoolahan/Hilary Walters-West (UNC) 8-2
Flight 3
Charlotte Koning/Lize Leenknecht (WSU) def. Matti Sperry/Laura Wegleitner (Colo.) 8-1
SECOND ROUND
Flight 1
Julyette Steur/Mazy Watrous (Colo.) def. Liudmila Vasilieva/Ksenia Googe (WSU) 9-8
Fllight 2
Julia Jamieson/Audrey O'Connor (Ill.) def. Kankaras/Luzina (WSU) 8-4
Flight 3
Koning/Leenknecht (WSU) def. Eric Troedson (WSU)/ Misia Kedzierski (Ill.) 9-8
SINGLES
Flight 1
Liudmila Vasilieva (WSU) def. Natalie Heffron (CSU) 6-1, 6-3
Flight 2
Andjela Kankaras (WSU) def. Caroline Schnell (DU) 7-5, 6-3, 10-6
Flight 3
Ksenis Googe (WSU) def. Caroline Stark (TTU) 6-7, 7-6, 10-5
Flight 4
Elizaveta Luzina (WSU) def. Melissa Cecil (Af) 7-5, 6-1
Flight 5
Christa Gecheva (WYO) def. Lize Leenknecht (WSU) 4-6, 6-2, 10-3
Flight 6
Charlotte Koning (WSU) def. Claire Uhle (UNC) 6-4, 6-1
Alma Espinosa (WYO) def. Erin Troedson (WSU) 6-3, 6-3
