LOS ANGELES --- The young Biola University women's tennis team received a baptism by fire during first-day action at the Cal State Los Angeles Invitational Tournament on Friday.
The Eagles squad--comprised of six freshman, two sophomores and two juniors--dropped all of its first-round matches with the exception of sophomore April Schiller, who advanced by default. However, Biola was up against some tough NCAA Division I and Division II players who did give any slack to the young Eagles.
Biola's Marisa Flores rebounded from a 6-2, 6-0 loss in the first round with an 8-4 win over Christy Baughman of The Masters' College in the consolation bracket. She will face teammate Ellen Monkemeir in the second round after Monekmeir downed Cal State LA's Starlet Barnes 8-3.
Christine Garner scored an 8-2 consolation bracket win over Gloria Slakoff of Grand Canyon University and will face Loyola Marymount's Audra Silman in the next round. Silman defeated Biola's Molly McMullon 8-1, not allowing for another Biola vs. Biola matchup.
On the doubles side, Monkemeir and Garner teamed up to defeat The Master's College tandem of Baughman and Truong 8-1 in the doubles consolation.
The Eagles return to the courts for the second-day matchups starting at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday.
SINGLES
First Round:
Bliss Nixon (LMU) d. Marisa Flores (BIOLA) 6-2, 6-0
Michelle Maduz (CSULA) d. Ellen Monkemier (BIOLA) 6-1, 6-1
Annika You (CPP) d. Katie Schaller (BIOLA) 6-0, 6-0
Carna Furuta (CSUN) d. Christy Humphrey (BIOLA) 6-0, 6-0
Vanessa Lunardi (LMU) d. Molly McMullen (BIOLA) 6-0, 7-5
April Schiller (BIOLA) d. Kristy Fournell (CSUN) Default
Consolation:
Marisa Flores (BIOLA) d. Christy Baughman (TMC) 8-4
Ellen Monkemeir (BIOLA) d. Starlet Barnes (CSULA) 8-3
Christine Garner (BIOLA) d. Gloria Slakoff (GCU) 8-2
Audra Silman (LMU) d. Molly McMullon (BIOLA) 8-1
Camelia Tsosic (GCU) d. Katie Schiller (BIOLA) 8-5
DOUBLES
First Round:
Ducanovic/Miller (CSULA) d. Flores/Shore (BIOLA) 8-0
Flores/Matijasevic (CSUN) d. Humphrey/McMullen (BIOLA) 8-1
Cassman/Iseri (Occidental) d. Beckman/Schiller (BIOLA) 8-2
Consolation:
Garner/Monkemeir (BIOLA) d. Baughman/Troung (TMC) 8-1
