After advancing to the second round at the All-American Championships on Thursday, ASU junior tennis player Kelcy McKenna was knocked out the following day.
The defending champion of the tournament lost to junior Venise Chan of Washington in two sets, 7-5, 6-1.
“Chan grew in confidence after winning that first set,” ASU assistant coach Clint Letcher said.
Sixteenth-ranked Chan advanced to the semifinals before falling to the eventual tournament champion, eighth-ranked Irina Falconi (sophomore) from Georgia Tech, 7-5, 7-6.
“Chan doesn’t make many mistakes,” ASU coach Sheila McInerney said.
Letcher said that Chan doesn’t give her opponent much to work with in a match.
Falconi defeated second-ranked Chelsey Gullickson (sophomore) from Georgia 6-2, 6-1 to claim the title.
McKenna was the only Sun Devil to leave the tournament with a victory after junior Micaela Hein and the doubles team of Hein and McKenna both fell in the first round of their respective bracket.
ASU senior Nadia Abdala did not compete in the tournament due to injury.
The team has over a week off before it competes at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Regional Championships on Oct. 22 in San Diego.
— Nathan Meacham
