Sept. 7, 2009

ST. LOUIS - Hailee Elmore won the A singles flight and teamed with Casey Miller to capture the doubles title to lead Saint Louis at the Billiken Classic Sept. 4-6.

Elmore blanked Allison Dender of Washington University 6-0, 6-0 in the first round before ousting SIU Edwardsville's Maggie Boeckman 6-2, 6-2 in second-round action. She defeated Billiken teammates Sarah Septien (6-3, 6-0) and Jenny Nalepa (6-2, 6-4) in the semifinals and final, respectively.

Nalepa downed SIUE's Amanda Miller in the opening round and Alex Cassady of Wash. U. in the second round, both by 6-0, 6-0 scores. She was a 7-5, 6-4 victor over Casey Miller in the semifinals.

Septien reached the semifinals by beating Laura Horning of SIUE 6-0, 6-1 and Elise Sambol of Wash. U. 6-1, 6-0. Miller toppled SIUE's Ali Wulfers 6-1, 6-3 and Nikole Novikova of Southeast Missouri State 6-4, 6-4 in the first two rounds.

After receiving a first-round bye, Elmore and Miller defeated Dender and Natalie Tingir 8-0 in round two of the doubles draw. They were pushed by Nalepa and Mia Elmore in the semifinals before advancing with an 8-5 win, then edged another Billiken duo, Septien and Kasia Tomalak, 9-7 in the championship match.

Septien/Tomalak defeated SEMO's Erika Seabaugh and Sarah Pettigrew 8-0 in the first round, Sambol/Paige Madara 8-1 in the second round and Cassady/Kate Klein 8-6 in the semifinals. Nalepa/Mia Elmore toppled Luisa Errichetti and Kristin George of Wash. U. 8-1 in round one, followed by an 8-1 triumph over Horning/Boeckman to reach the semifinals.

Tomalak was the runner-up in the B singles draw. She received a first-round bye before defeating Madara 6-3, 6-0 in the second round and SIUE's Amanda Niebur 6-1, 6-3 in the semifinals. Tomalak fell to Klein 6-4, 6-4 in the title match.

Caitlin McKenna also pushed Klein, winning the first set decisively before bowing 1-6, 6-1 (10-4) in the first round. McKenna went on to easily win the B backdraw, disposing of Duchaine, George and Errichetti by consecutive 8-0 scores.