April 27, 2006
Ojai, Calif. - With the first day of competition completed at the Pac-10 Individual Championships at the 106th annual Ojai Tournament in California, only one Sun Devil singles player was left standing. Jessica Leitch (Dallas, Texas) advanced into the quarterfinals of the Invitational draw on Friday. The doubles tournaments also begin on Friday in Ojai.
The Sun Devils looked strong after the opening round of play in the morning session. No. 106 Sabrina Capannolo (Las Vegas, Nev.) earned a victory over Washington's Victoria Brymer, 6-2, 6-2, and No. 65 Roxanne Clarke (Cape Town, South Africa) downed Tara Simpson, also from Washington, 6-3, 6-2, to advance both Sun Devils into the round of 16 of the championship bracket.In the first round of the invitational bracket, Rebecca Rankin (Purley, England) and Jessica Leitch also earned victories for ASU. Kady Pooler (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) was the only first round casualty for the Sun Devils, falling to No. 36 Celia Durkin (Stanford), 6-4, 7-5.
The second round did not fare as well for the Devils, as three out of four players fell in the round of 16. Capannolo faced No. 8 Suzi Fodor of Cal in the second round, falling 6-3, 6-3. It was Capannolo's third meeting against Fodor this year, having fallen in straight sets to her during both Conference matches earlier. Clarke was matched against Stanford's Alice Barnes, ranked eighth in the nation. Barnes was victorious 6-2, 6-3 in the rematch, as Barnes defeated Clarke a few weeks ago in Tempe. In the invitational draw, Rankin fell to UCLA's Anna-Viktoria Lind, 6-4, 6-4.
Jessica Leitch was advanced into the quarterfinals of the invitational tournament after USC's Carine Vermeulen was scratched from the tournament. Leitch will face Claire Ilcinkas from Cal on Friday morning.
The Pac-10 Tournament continues on Friday as doubles play gets underway again. The Devils' nationally-ranked team of Pooler and Clarke will be in action Friday afternoon as well as the rest of ASU's doubles lineup. The tournament concludes play on April 30 with the NCAA Selection Show taking place on May 2. The Sun Devils are looking for their nineteenth consecutive appearance in the NCAA tournament when it begins on May 11 at regional host sites.