July 17, 2009
ATLANTA – Vanderbilt’s incoming freshman women’s tennis player Alison Riske has reached her third USTA Pro Circuit semifinal of the summer as she defeated sixth-seeded Amanda Fink in straight sets at the Norman Wilkerson Tennis Experience in Atlanta, Ga. Friday. Riske was one of seven current Vanderbilt players that competed at the Norman Wilkerson Tournament this week.
The McMurray, Pa. native had little trouble dispatching Fink as she took the match 6-0, 6-2. The incoming Commodore defeated Vanderbilt rising senior Catherine Newman and Tennessee’s Caitlin Whoriskey in the first and second rounds respectively.
Newman closed out the week with a solid performance at the USTA Pro Circuit Event. The Greensboro, N.C. native went a perfect 4-0 in the qualifying draw to set-up a possible match with Riske in the first round of the championship draw. Newman posted straight set wins over Elizabeth Bondi, Viet-Ha Ngo (Vietnam), seventh-seeded Yuliana Motyl (Canada) and Tennessee All-American Natalie Pluskota to earn a spot in the championship draw.
VU’s Jackie Wu made it all the way to the qualifying finals match before bowing out to Olivia Janowicz, 7-6(4), 6-3. Wu knocked off Nicole Cleaves in straight sets in the first round before outlasting Aeriel Ellis in three sets during the second round, winning 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 setting up a match with Julia Courter in the third round. Wu showed little signs of fatigue against Courtier and took the match 6-2, 6-0.
Vanderbilt’s Heather Steinbauer went 2-1 in qualifying action this week, posting wins over Samantha Powers and Aleah Marrow in the first and second rounds. Steinbauer’s week came to an end when she fell to Kyle McPhillips, 6-2, 7-5 in semifinals of the qualifying bracket.
Vanderbilt rising sophomore, Erica Robertson went 1-1 in singles play after topping Siobahn Finicane in consecutive sets in the first round of qualifying play before falling to Auburn’s All-American Alex Haney in the next round.
Chelsea Preeg and Keilly Ulery also competed in the qualifying rounds in Atlanta but were both upended in three set matches against their first round opponents.
Riske, who entered the event as the No. 4 seed, will now face against Georgia Tech’s rising sophomore Irina Falconi in the semifinals on Saturday. The All-ACC performer advanced to tomorrow’s semis by upsetting No. 1-seeded Alexandra Mueller 2-6, 6-1, 6-4.
Norman Wilkerson Tennis Experience
USTA Women’s Pro Circuit Event
Championship Draw
Rd 32: Alison Riske def. Catherine Newman 6-2, 6-2
Rd 16: Riske def. Caitlin Whoriskey 6-1, 6-1
Qrts Fin: Riske def. Amanda Fink 6-0, 6-2
Qualifying Draw
R1: Newman def. Elizabeth Bondi 6-0, 6-1
R2: Newman def. Viet-Ha Ngo 6-4, 6-2
R3: Newman def. No. 7 Yuliana Motyl 6-1, 6-3
Fin: Newman def. Natalie Pluskota 7-5, 6-3
R1: Jackie Wu def. Nicole Cleaves 6-0, 6-1
R2: Wu def. Aeriel Ellis 6-4, 2-6, 6-4
R3: Wu def. Julia Courter 6-2, 6-0
Fin: Olivia Janowicz def. Wu 6-2, 6-0
R1: Heather Steinbauer def. Samantha Powers 6-3, 5-7, 6-2
R2: Steinbauer def. Aleah Marrow 6-3, 6-2
R3: Kyle McPhillips def. Steinbauer 6-2, 7-5
R1: Erica Robertson def. Siobhan Finicane 6-4, 6-3
R2: Alex Haney def. Robertson 6-1, 6-2
R1: Chelsea Preeg won by bye
R2: Stephanie Hoffpauir def. Preeg 6-3, 3-6, 6-1
R1: Kate Fuller def. Keilly Ulery 3-6, 6-2, 6-1
