University of Louisville
Missouri Invitational
Women's Tennis Continues Competition at Missouri's Ace for a Cure
October 04, 2008 | Women's Tennis
Oct. 4, 2008
The University of Louisville women's tennis team is very much in the mix after two sessions at the Missouri Ace for a Cure in Columbia this weekend. Jo-Ann Van Aerde will play in the finals of the top flight of singles on Sunday after pairing with Lindsey Jones to win the doubles. Bianca Gorbea and her teammate Natalia Baez lost in the finals of the first flight of doubles.
"I am really proud of Joey (Van Aerde) for winning in doubles with Lindsey Jones and then making the finals in her bracket. She has shown lots of progress with her game and I think she will play great in the finals," said Mark Beckham, U of L head coach.
The No. 1 doubles bracket pairing of Natalia Baez and Bianca Gorbea won their first round by beating SMU's Sophie Quist and Nicole Briceno 8-6. They advanced to the finals where they fell 9-7 in a nailbiter to Marisa Lambropoulos and Chelcie Abajian of Illinois.
"Natalia and Bianca played really well in their doubles matches before losing to a very strong pair from Illinois. They have a good chance of earning a national ranking if they keep up this caliber of play through the fall," said Beckham.
In the second flight of doubles, Lindsey Jones and Jo-Ann Van Aerde easily beat Missouri's Jessica Giuggioli and Kaitlyn Ritchie 8-3. They teamed to beat Amy Allin and Annie McCarthy 8-3 to take the bracket.
In the top singles bracket, Jo-Ann Van Aerde beat Kaitlyn Ritchie 7-6, 6-1. She advanced to the finals when she beat Missouri's Jamie Mera in the three-setter, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. She will play Missouri's Jessica Giuggioli on Sunday. In the bottom half of the same bracket, Bianca Gorbea lost her first round to Chelcie Abajian 6-2, 6-2. She then beat SMU's Nicole Briceno.
In the second singles bracket, Lindsey Jones beat Illinois' Amy Allin 6-3, 4-6 (6-4) before falling to Sophia Ayala of Missouri in the semi-finals 6-4, 6-1. Newcomer Amelia Harris lost in the semi-finals in the third flight singles Illinois' Christine Stromberg 6-4, 6-1 to after beating SMU's Casey Kennedy 6-1, 6-1.
Players Mentioned
