Senior Yudeshnee Pillay was one of four 49ers to win both Friday matches and advance to a semifinal round. |
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Four Niners Advance to Semifinal Matches in Charleston Women's Tennis Tournament
Sept. 20, 2008
Charleston, S.C. - Yudeshnee Pillay won two matches in the top flight to lead the Charlotte 49ers women's tennis team into its first action of the season at the College of Charleston Invitational tournament this week. Three other Niners advanced to semifinal draws to be contested Saturday.
Playing in the top singles flight, Pillay defeated Angie Torres from Charleston Southern 6-1, 6-1 and later tackled Aline Berkenbrock of North Florida 6-4, 6-1 to advance to a semifinal match against Caroline Newman of host College of Charleston, which takes place on Saturday.
Ana Spivakovsky, also in the top singles flight, fell to Link Leskosky from College of Charleston and then in a consolation match against Ina Durcakova of North Florida.
In the second singles flight, Koren Fleming lost to Natalie Collins of East Carolina in a three-set fight 6-1, 6-7 (10-5), 6-1 and then in a consolation match to North Florida's Victoria Krook in another tight match 6-3, 5-7, (10-6).
Peruvian newcomer Andrea Rivera won both of her Friday matches and is in a Saturday semifinal in the second flight. She upended Anna Lee Evans of College of Charleston after dropping the first set 2-6, 6-3, 6-3. In the quarterfinal match, she again needed three sets to defeat Alison Rauh of Davidson 6-4, 3-6, 6-1. Rivera faces Brook Walters from East Carolina on Saturday afternoon.
In the third flight, both Niners won their opening matches, but lost in the quarterfinals. Kimber Redfern ousted Holly Dowse of College of Charleston 7-5, 7-6 (10-7), and lost in her next match to Lauren Holton from North Florida 6-3, 6-3. Freshman Julia Junker also won her first match over Laime Contreras of Barry 6-3, 6-1, but fell in the quarterfinal to Stephani Synn of Davidson 6-1, 6-2. Both Redfern and Junker slide to the fifth-place bracket and compete Saturday afternoon.
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In the fourth flight, Candace Cunningham and Gabi Vergara both advanced to semifinal matches and could face each other for the flight championship on Sunday. Vergara received a bye and won in three sets over Barry's Julie Cadet 6-0, 4-6, 6-3. Cunningham needed two wins to advance to the semis. She defeated both opponents in straight sets and only lost one game in each set along the way, winning 6-1, 6-1 over both Sheelah Iyengar of East Carolina and Sarah Schwarz of College of Charleston. Vergara takes on College of Charleston's Amanda Schwarz in one semifinal and Cunningham faces Fernanda Shalders of Coastal Carolina in the other flight-four semifinal.
