Hokie ClubPRINCETON, N.J. - The Virginia Tech women's tennis team had a solid opening to the 2008 fall season at the Princeton Invitational. The three-day event is being played at the Lenz Tennis Center on the Princeton University campus and features players from Buffalo, Penn, Princeton and Virginia Tech.
The Hokies took three of five doubles matches against the host Tigers before sweeping three doubles and one singles contest against Buffalo. In the Princeton match, Jessica Brouwer (Sr., Maarssen, Netherlands)/Holly Johnson (So., Tallahassee, Fla.) won their No. 1 match, 8-6, against Taylor Marable/Hilary Bartlett. Tech's other two wins occurred at No. 3 as Yasmin Hamza (So., Cairo, Egypt)/Abbey Walker (Sr. Lancaster, S.C.) defeated Rachel Saiontz/Sarah Huah, 8-4, and Katie Blow (Fr., Richmond, Va.)/Courtney Rauscher (Fr.. Evans, Ga.) cruised to a 8-4 win at No. 5 over Kristen Scott/Kelly Stewart. Martha Blakely (Fr., Reading, Pa.)/Inga Beermann (Sr., Bad Salzuflen, Germany) lost, 8-5, at No. 2 against Lauren McHale/Melissa Saiontz and Shannon Betts (Fr., Newnan, Ga.)/Blow dropped a tight 8-6 decision at No. 4 versus Blakely Ashley/Sarah Hoffman.
In the Buffalo match, Brouwer/Johnson took a 8-4 victory at No. 1 versus Diana Popescu/Smaranda Stan, Beermann/Blakely won 8-4 in the No. 2 match over Aleksandra Petrova/Anna Subenkova and Hamza/Walker edged Ivenyk/Diana Toia, 9-7, in the No. 3 contest. In the only singles match of the day for Tech, Betts blanked Jenelle Jones-Mitchell, 8-0.
The event continues with a busy Saturday for Tech as the Hokies will play eight singles matches starting at 10 a.m. against Princeton followed by four doubles contest versus Penn. The day concludes with eight more singles matches against Buffalo at 4 p.m.
Virginia Tech vs. Princeton
Doubles
1. Jessica Brouwer/Holly Johnson (VT) def. Hilary Bartlett/Taylor Marable (PU) 8-62. Lauren McHale/Melissa Saiontz (PU) def. Inga Beermann/Martha Blakely (VT) 8-53. Yasmin Hamza/Abbey Walker (VT) def. Sarah Huah/Rachel Saiontz (PU) 8-44. Blakely Ashley/Sarah Hoffman (PU) def. Shannon Betts/Katie Blow (VT) 8-65. Katie Blow/Courtney Rauscher (VT) def. Kristen Scott/Kelly Stewart (PU) 8-4
Virginia Tech vs. Buffalo
Doubles
1. Jessica Brouwer/Holly Johnson (VT) def. Diana Popescu/Smaranda Stan (UB) 8-42. Inga Beermann/Martha Blakely (VT) def. Aleksandra Petrova/Anna Subenkova (UB) 8-43. Yasmin Hamza/Abbey Walker (VT) def. Ivenjk/Diana Toia (UB) 9-7SinglesShannon Betts (VT) def. Jenelle Jones-Mitchell (UB) 8-0