The ASU tennis team opened their season with a successful showing at the Cal Nike Invitational in Berkeley, Calif.
The first tournament is always difficult because the team has not competed for months, said ASU coach Sheila McInerney.
“You just want them to get a lot of competative matches,” McInerney said. “It was a lot of tennis and they all needed it.”
Junior Hannah James advanced to the semifinals on Saturday after winning her first and second round matches.
Seventh-ranked James defeated UC Davis’ Megan Heneghan, 7-6 (5), 6-1 in the round of 32.
In the second round James beat freshman Cecilia Estlander of Cal in three sets, going 6-4, 2-6, 6-3.
Also winning their first round matches were senior Michelle Brycki and freshman Joanna Smith. Brycki overcame Fresno State’s junior Bianca Modoc, 6-3, 6-2, while Smith defeated senior Ana Chkhikvishvili of St. Mary’s 6-3, 6-3.
This was the first tournament for Smith, and McInerney said she was happy with what she saw out of the new Sun Devil.
Senior Sianna Simmons put up a fight but fell early to Saint Mary’s Jenny Jullien, losing 6-3, 2-6, 6-0.
In the doubles matches, the duo of Brycki and junior Nicole Smith defeated Nevada’s Verberne/Okhremchuk tandem 8-5 to advance to the semifinals on Saturday.
This was Smith’s first time competing in about a year and a half after suffering multiple injuries.
“Nicky played quite well in doubles, she and Michelle both,” McInerney said.
Smith also went on to the semifinals when paired with USC senior Alison Ramos. The pair beat Tran/Price of BYU, 8-1.
The Sun Devils continued picking up wins on the second day of the tournament despite dropping out of title contention.
James fell to Cal senior Jana Juricova who was ranked No. 1 in the ITA Preseason Singles Poll. Juricova beat James, 6-4, 6-0.
“We’ve played Juricova before and she’s a very good player,” McInerney said.
James played very well in the first match, but was unable to keep up when Juricova broke away.
“It was a good match for Hannah to have under her belt,” McInerney said.
Despite the loss James was victorious in her doubles consolation match with Simmons. The pair defeated McQueen/Murtagh of Fresno State 8-5 in the quarterfinals and then beat UC Davis’s fourth-ranked team of Chui/Heneghan.
With those victories James and Simmons were able to compete in the consolation championship on Sunday but lost.
In a difficult victory, Brycki/Smith also defeated Goransson/Davis of California 9-8 (2.)
Unfortunately Brycki/Smith then lost to No. 2 Baca/Melluk of Sacramento State in the doubles semifinal round.
The tournament was all about getting acclimated to competing once again.
“We won some and we lost some, nobody was dominant and nobody struggled too much,” McInerney said.
Sophomore Jacqueline Cako will play in the All-American Championships starting Oct. 4 while the rest of the Sun Devils take the court again on Oct. 20 for the ITA Regional Championships in San Diego.
Reach the reporter at dkmcinty@asu.edu
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