ZHELTOVA FALLS JUST SHORT OF MAIN DRAW AT RIVIERA/ITA ALL-AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP 10/8/2009 PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. - Sacramento State senior Katrina Zheltova won her opening two matches in the qualifying draw of the Riviera/ITA All-American Women’s Tennis Championship, before falling in the final round, which kept her from advancing to the tournament’s main draw. In the round of 64, Zheltova, who is ranked 56th in the preseason ITA rankings, took down No. 77 ranked Megan Broderick of Kentucky in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4. She continued her winnings ways in the round of 32, defeating No. 80 ranked Elze Potgeiter of Texas A&M 7-5, 5-7, 6-2. Zheltova, the three-time reigning Big Sky Conference Player of the Year, ran into the story of the tournament so far, Aeriel Ellis of Texas, in the final round with a bid to the main draw on the line. Ellis, a true freshman out of Hayward, ran off three straight victories to advance from pre-qualifying to the qualifying draw, where she had won her first two matches in a convincing manner. In a hard fought match, Zheltova fell by a score of 6-4, 6-4. The native of Minsk, Belarus appeared in the main draw of the championship, which is the premier hard court tournament of the fall collegiate season, a season ago as one of the 24 at large players. The loss marks the second time Zheltova has fell in the final round of the qualifying draw, as she dropped a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 decision to Georgia Tech’s Maya Johansson as a sophomore in 2007. Sacramento State returns to action this weekend, Oct. 9-11, traveling to compete in the Saint Mary’s College Invitational. Singles Qualifying Draw (56) Katrina Zheltova Round of 32 - defeated (77) Megan Broderick (Kentucky) 6-3, 6-4 Round of 16 - defeated (80) Elze Potgeiter (Texas A&M) 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 Final Round (Eight advance to Main Draw) - lost to Aeriel Ellis (Texas) 6-4, 6-4