ZHELTOVA AND WOMEN’S TENNIS WRAP UP PLAY AT THE ALL-AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

10/4/2007

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. -- Sophomore Katrina Zheltova reached the final round of the qualifying draw to highlight four Sacramento State women’s tennis players that participated in this week’s Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) All-American Championships.

The premier hard court event of the fall collegiate season which features the top players in Div. I, Zheltova began play in the singles qualifying bracket while junior Anastassia Lyssenko played singles in the prequalifying bracket. The tandems of Zheltova/junior Luba Schifris, and Lyssenko/sophomore Aileen Tsan each played doubles in the prequalifying bracket.

The main draw (Oct. 4-7) of the tournament is preceded by two sets of qualifying tournaments. The women’s 128-player pre-qualifying tournament took place Sept. 29-30, with 16 players advancing to the 128-player qualifying tournaments (Oct. 1-3). Sixteen players then advance from the qualifying tournament to the main draw with 48 other players who are at-large selections.

After winning her first two matches, Zheltova was one victory shy of reaching the main draw. She won her first two matches against Illinois’ Megan Fudge (7-5, 6-3) and Florida State’s Lauren Macfarlane (3-6, 6-3, 7-6). However, her run came to an end against Georgia Tech’s Maya Johansson when she fell, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4. Had Zheltova won the match, she would have began play in the main draw today or tomorrow.

Lyssenko fell in the first round of prequalifying play to Texas’ Stephanie Davison, 6-3, 6-0. The doubles tandems of Schifris/Zheltova (8-2 loss to Georgia Tech’s Noelle Hickey and Christy Striplin) and Lyssenko/Tsan (8-6 loss to Georgia Tech’s Amanda McDowell and Aleksandra Krupina) both fell in the first round of prequalifying play.

SACRAMENTO STATE RESULTS

SINGLES

Katrina Zheltova
1st Round Qualifying - defeated Illinois’ Megan Fudge, 7-5, 6-3
2nd Round Qualifying - defeated Florida State’s Laura Macfarlane, 6-1, 6-3
3rd Round Qualifying - lost to Georgia Tech’s Maya Johansson, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4

Anastassia Lyssenko
1st Round Prequalifying - lost to Texas’ Stephanie Davison, 6-3, 6-0

DOUBLES

Katrina Zheltova/Luba Schifris
1st Round Prequalifying - lost to Georgia Tech’s Noelle Hickey/Christy Striplin, 8-2

Anastassia Lyssenko/Aileen Tsan
1st Round Prequalifying - lost to Georgia Tech’s Amanda McDowell/Aleksandra Krupina, 8-6