April 22, 2010
OJAI, Calif. - The Arizona State women's tennis team got off to a solid start at the 2010 Pacific-10 Conference Championship as two Sun Devils remain in the hunt for the Pac-10 singles championships. Held in conjunction with the 110th annual Ojai Valley Tournament, the Pac-10 Championships determine the singles and doubles conference championships. The tournament will continue through Sunday.
Two Sun Devils are still in the hunt for the individual singles title. ASU's No. 1 singles player, Micaela Hein, began her tournament handing Washington State's Andjela Kankaras a 6-1, 6-2 loss in the Round of 32. Hein, who grew up playing in the Ojai Valley Tournament, faced No. 32 Mallory Burdette of Stanford in the second round. Hein came out on top of a hard-fought 6-3, 7-5 battle to advance to the quarterfinals.
Mirroring Hein, freshman Hannah James also advanced into the quarterfinals. The freshman took down Oregon's Pavlina Smatova 6-4, 6-2 before facing No. 33 Alison Ramos. James did not back down from Ramos, taking the tie-breaker in the first set to lead the way to a 7-6 (5), 6-4 win.
In the Invitational Singles Flight, Sianna Simmons continued her solid sophomore campaign by adding a win in the Round of 32 to her record. Simmons blanked Marina Nicolas of Washington State to advance to the quarterfinals. Ashlee Brown earned a 6-3, 6-0 win over Cal's Catie Visico in the Round of 32 before falling to Carling Seguso in a tough 7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-4 Round of 16 match.
Kelcy McKenna and Michelle Brycki both lost their first round matches. This was Brycki's first loss since January.
The tournament continues through Sunday.
Singles Flight
Round of 32
Micaela Hein (ASU) def. Andjela Kankaras (WSU) 6-1, 6-2
Hannah James (ASU) def. Pavlina Smatova (ORE) 6-4, 6-2
Carolyn McVeigh (STAN) def. Kelcy McKenna (ASU) 7-6, 6-4
Luda Vasilieva (WSU) def. Michelle Brycki (ASU) 6-4, 6-4
Round of 16
Micaela Hein (ASU) def. Mallory Burdette (STAN) 6-3, 7-5
Hannah James (ASU) def. Alison Ramos (USC) 7-6 (5), 6-4
Invitational Singles
Round of 32
Ashlee Brown (ASU) def. Catie Visico (Cal) 6-3, 6-0
Round of 16
Carling Seguso (UCLA) def. Ashlee Brown (ASU) 7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-4
Sianna Simmons (ASU) def. Marina Nicolas (WSU) 6-0, 6-0