Sept. 18, 2005

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- The Old Dominion women's tennis team had several notable performances in their first tournament appearance of the 2005-06 season. Junior Larissa Santos (Florianopolis, Brazil) earned the Flight B singles titles, beating out teammate Barbara Kerner (Herxheim, Germany), and teamed with Linda Garder (Tallinn, Estonia) to claim the Flight B doubles title. Additionally, sophomore Barbara Costa (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) and Kerner took home the Flight A doubles title.

Costa and Kerner brought home ODU's first doubles title of the tournament by teaming up to defeat American's Brandi Kligman and Anne Magellan, 8-1, in the semifinals and Longwood's Romana Bucur and Elena Triebkorn, 8-6, in the bracket final.

Fight B singles featured three Lady Monarchs in the hunt for the bracket title. Garder opened play with a 6-1, 6-1, Round of 16 victory over Tracy Ross from North Carolina A&T. The quarterfinals featured a three-set, 5-7, 6-1, 6-4, come from behind win for Kerner against Laura Marin of Howard, a 0-6, 6-1, 6-3 come from behind victory for Garder against Brittany Huddleston from Longwood, and a straight set, 6-4, 6-1 win by Santos over CAA rival Ashley Reyher from James Madison. Although Santos fell behind in her first set, 5-7, to Ashley Melson of Longwood in the semis, she rallied back to win her next sets, 6-1, 6-1, to reach the finals. Meanwhile, in the other semifinal, it was Old Dominion vs. Old Dominion featuring Kerner vs. Garder. Kerner emerged with the victory, defeating her teammate, 1-6, 6-0, 6-1, setting up an ODU finale. In the Flight B bracket finale, Santos defeated Kerner, 6-3, 6-2, to take the title.

The Flight B singles ticket would not be Santos' only title of the day as she teamed with Garder to earn the Flight B doubles title, ODU's second of the tournament as well. The ODU duo picked up three wins en-route to the title, beginning with an 8-1 quarterfinal win over Hampton Roads rival Norfolk State. They followed with an 8-3 win over James Madison's Barrett Donner and Anna Khoor in the semifinals and an 8-3 victory over Brittany Huddleston and Ashley Melson in the final.

Costa won the Flight A consolation bracket after dropping her quarterfinal main draw in three sets, 5-7, 7-6(4), 6-3, to Longwood's Romana Bucur. In the consolation bracket, Costa earned three victories, all in straight sets. In the quarterfinals she picked up a 7-5, 6-0 win over James Madison's Kristin Nordstrom and followed with a 6-1, 6-2 semifinal victory over Howard's Jasmine Smith. In the final, Costa played her way to a 6-2, 7-5 win over James Madison's Anna Khoor.

Additionally, newcomer Meredith Cutchin made her debut with the Lady Monarch women's tennis team. Playing in Flight C singles, she earned her first win with a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Shannon Pittman of North Carolina A&T, 6-0, 6-1, in the Round of 16, before falling 2-6, 6-3, 6-1, to Washington College's Lydia Bull in the quarterfinals.

To view the tournament's complete bracket, click here.

The Lady Monarch women's tennis squad returns to action at the ITA All-American Championship in October.

RESULTS:

Flight A Singles:
QF: Romana Bucur (Longwood) def. Barbara Costa (ODU): 5-7, 7-6(4), 6-3

Flight A Singles - Consolation:
QF: Barbara Costa (ODU) def. Kristin Nordstrom (JMU): 7-5, 6-0
SF: Barbara Costa (ODU) def. Jasmine Smith (Howard): 6-1, 6-2
F: Barbara Costa (ODU) def. Anna Khoor (JMU): 6-2, 7-5

Flight A Doubles:
SF: Barbara Costa/Barbara Kerner (ODU) def. Brandi Kligman/Anne Magellan (American): 8-1
F: Barbara Costa/Barbara Kerner (ODU) def. Romana Bucur/Elena Triebskorn (Longwood): 8-6

Flight B Singles:
16: Linda Garder (ODU) def. Tracy Ross (NC-A&T): 6-1, 6-1
QF: Barbara Kerner (ODU) def. Laura Marin (Howard): 5-7, 6-1, 6-4
QF: Linda Garder (ODU) def. Brittany Huddleston (Longwood): 0-6, 6-1, 6-3
QF: Larissa Santos (ODU) def. Ashley Reyher (JMU): 6-4, 6-1
SF: Barbara Kerner (ODU) def. Linda Garder (ODU): 1-6, 6-0, 6-1
SF: Larissa Santos (ODU) def. Ashley Melson (Longwood): 5-7, 6-1, 6-2
F: Larissa Santos (ODU) def. Barbara Kerner (ODU): 6-3, 6-2

Flight B Doubles:
QF: Linda Garder/Larissa Santos (ODU) def. Jennifer Itonyo/Fiorela Valdivia (NSU): 8-1
SF: Linda Garder/Larissa Santos (ODU) def. Barrett Donner/Anna Khoor (JMU): 8-3
F: Linda Garder/Larissa Santos (ODU) def. Brittany Huddleston/Ashley Melson (Longwood): 8-3

Flight C Singles:
16: Meredith Cutchin (ODU) def. Shannon Pittman (NC-A&T): 6-0, 6-1
QF: Lydia Bull (Washington Coll.) def. Meredith Cutchin (ODU): 2-6, 6-3, 6-1