Nov. 5, 2010
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The Texas A&M women's tennis team began competition at the annual Kitty Harrison Invitational on Friday at the Cone-Kenfiled Tennis Center on the University of North Carolina campus in Chapel Hill. The three-day event marks the finale of the fall season for the Aggies.
A&M opened the mock dual tournament by winning two of three doubles matches against Princeton. The Aggie duo of Morgan Frank and Nazari Urbina defeated Hilary Bartlett and Taylor Marable, 8-4, at the No. 1 flight, and A&M's Stephanie Davidson and Sheri Olivier knocked off Monica Chow and Rachel Salontz, 8-6, at the No. 2 line.
The Tiger tandem of Katherine Flanigan and Blakely Ashley handed A&M its only setback, defeating Christi Liles and Lauren Santacroce, 8-0, at the No. 3 line.
A&M then took on host North Carolina in singles and split the six matches. All three of A&M's wins against the Tar Heels were three-set victories, as Urbina defeated Shinann Featherston, 6-2, 2-6, 1-0 (6) at the No. 1 spot, and Frank topped Gina Suarez-Malaguti, 6-3, 5-7, 1-0 (4) at the No. 2 flight. Davidson notched the other win for A&M, defeating Tessa Lyons with a come-from-behind 2-6, 6-2, 1-0 (3) win at No. 4.
Lauren McHale, Haley Hemm and Jennifer Stone tallied three straight-set wins for the Tar Heels. McHale downed Liles, 6-2, 6-3, at the No. 3 flight, Hemm topped Santacroce, 6-4, 6-2 at No. 5, and Stone defeated Olivier, 6-2, 6-1 at No. 6.
The Aggies then wrapped up the first day of competition going 5-0 against William and Mary in singles. Urbina got another three-set win after holding off Hope Johnson, 6-1, 4-6, 1-0 (5) at the No. 1 line, and Frank remained undefeated at the No. 2 flight with a 6-0, 7-6 victory against Anik Cepeda. Liles came back to defeat Katie Kargl, 6-7, 6-4, 1-0 (4) at the No. 3 spot, and Davidson and Santacroce cruised to straight-set wins at the No. 4 and 5 lines, respectively, as Davidson defeated Sydney Smith, 6-1, 6-0, and Santacroce topped Tori Ford, 6-0, 6-1.
The Aggies continue the tournament, held annually in honor of former UNC head coach Kitty Harrison, today with doubles matches against UNC-Greensboro and William and Mary and singles matches against Georgia Tech.
A&M concludes the tournament and wraps up its fall campaign on Sunday by taking on Virginia in doubles and Vanderbilt in singles. A&M opens the spring season on Sunday, Jan. 23 at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark.
UNC Kitty Harrison Invitational - Friday Results
Texas A&M vs. Princeton (Doubles)
1. Morgan Frank/Nazari Urbina (A&M) def. Hilary Bartlett/Taylor Marable (Princeton), 8-4
2. Stephanie Davidson/Sheri Olivier (A&M) def. Monica Chow/Rachel Saiontz (Princeton), 8-6
3. Katherine Flanigan/Blakely Ashley (Princeton) def. Christi Liles/Lauren Santacroce (A&M), 8-0
Texas A&M vs. North Carolina (Singles)
1. Nazari Urbina (A&M) def. Shinann Featherston (UNC), 6-1, 2-6, (6)
2. Morgan Frank (A&M) def. Gina Suarez-Malaguti (UNC)6-3, 5-7, (4)
3. Lauren McHale (UNC) def. Christi Liles (A&M), 6-2, 6-3
4. Stephanie Davidson (A&M) def. Tessa Lyons (UNC), 2-6, 6-2, (3)
5. Haley Hemm (UNC) def. Lauren Santacroce (A&M), 6-4, 6-2
6. Jennifer Stone (UNC) def. Sheri Olivier (A&M), 6-2, 6-1
Texas A&M vs. William & Mary (Singles)
1. Nazari Urbina (A&M) def. Hope Johnson 6-1, 4-6, (5)
2. Morgan Frank (A&M) def. Anik Cepeda 6-0, 7-6
3. Christi Liles (A&M) def. Katie Kargl 6-7, 6-4, (4)
4. Stephanie Davidson (A&M) def. Sydney Smith 6-1, 6-0
5. Lauren Santacroce (A&M) def. Tori Ford 6-0, 6-1