Oct. 26, 2009

NORMAN, Okla. - Saint Louis women's tennis competed at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Central Region Championships, hosted by the University of Oklahoma Oct. 21-25.

Hailee Elmore won her first-round match in the singles main draw, defeating Caroline Beaulieu of Tulsa 6-7, 6-3, 6-0. Elmore fell to fifth-seeded Tijana Koprivica of Minnesota 6-3, 6-3 in round two. Also in the singles main draw, Casey Miller was defeated by Sasha Belova of Oklahoma State, 7-5, 6-0; Sarah Septien was edged by Florentina Hanisch of Wichita State, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3; and Jenny Nalepa lost a 6-0, 6-1 decision to 10th-seeded Emily Carbone of Arkansas.

Septien and Nalepa reached the main draw through the qualifying rounds. Septien ousted Martina Vianna Ce of Southern Illinois, 6-1, 6-4, and Peta Forsyth of Minnesota, 6-4, 6-2. Nalepa received a first-round bye, then downed Drake's Ali Patterson, 5-7, 6-1 (10-4). Also in qualifying, Caitlin McKenna, 2-6, 7-5 (10-4).

Miller won her first contest in the singles consolation round, dominating Victoria Khanevskaya of Kansas, 6-1, 6-2, before being eliminated by top-seeded Alexandra Kichoutkin of Tulsa, 6-2, 6-2. Beaulieu advanced over Septien, 2-6, 6-3 (tiebreaker score NA), and Sara Lazarevic of Kansas eliminated Nalepa 7-5, 6-7 (tiebreaker score NA).

In first-round doubles action, Sofia Ayala/Kaitlyn Ritchie of Missouri defeated Hailee Elmore/Miller, 8-3; fifth-seeded Alessandra Ferrazzi/Koprivica of Minnesota beat Septien/McKenna, 8-1; and Kate Lukomskaya/Kelsey Sundaram of Arkansas toppled Mia Elmore/Nalepa, 8-4. In consolation play, Erin Wilbert/Khanevskaya of Kansas edged Mia Elmore/Nalepa, 8-6, and Dien/Jessica Flannery of Southern Illinois ousted Septien/McKenna, 8-3.