Oct. 31, 2008

NEW HAVEN, CONN.; - The Penn State women's tennis team finished its first day at the Yale Invitational with three Nittany Lions winning both of their matches. The tournament continues tomorrow and Sunday at the Cullman-Heyman Tennis Center.

Headlining the list of Nittany Lions to move on in singles play was senior Leyla Morzan (Vancouver, British Columbia) who advanced in the Silver singles flight after defeating Danielle Abraham of Boston University in the first round (6-2, 6-4) and Kasey Rosenberger of Quinnipiac in the second round (6-0, 6-2). In the Blue singles flight, freshman Monika Mical (Stalowa Wola, Poland) topped Chelsea Jones of Syracuse in two sets (6-1, 6-0) before beating Janet Kim of Yale in the second round (5-7, 6-3, 10-6).

"I was proud of our team today," said head coach Dawna Prevette. "I saw many good things implemented from these weeks of preparation."

In her first match for the Nittany Lions, freshman Kristen Roth (Ardmore, Pa.) defeated Carly Lowenstein of Quinnipiac in the Silver singles flight (6-2, 6-1) before falling to Lilian Nguyen of Yale (2-6, 7-5, 10-2). Also making her first collegiate appearance, freshman Michaela Stracar (Jericho, N.Y.) fell to Sarah Lederhandler of Yale in the Silver flight first round (6-3, 6-2), but bounced back to later defeat Katelyn Haycock of Syracuse (6-3, 6-1).

In other singles play, sophomore Denisa Zobeideh (Weston, Fla.) posted first and second round victories over Paulina Rys of Fairfield (6-1, 6-4) and Jacquelynn Tang of Syracuse (6-0, 6-1) in the White singles flight. Freshman Maria Prishlyak (Kiev, Ukraine) earned a 3-0 victory in the Blue singles flight first round after opponent Petra Santini of Boston University defaulted. Prishlyak later fell to Vicky Brook of Yale by a score of 6-0, 6-1.

Also in singles action, freshman Allie Hefter (Longmont, Colo.) beat Tara Brennan of Fairfield in the first round of the Silver singles flight (7-5, 6-1) before falling to Liz Corrao of Boston University by a score of 6-0, 6-1. Senior Dorothy Dohanics (Pittsburgh, Pa.) earned a win over Natalie Duckor of Quinnipiac in the White singles flight opening round (6-1, 6-4) and was later defeated by Lindsay Clark of Yale in the second round by a score of 6-3, 6-2. After falling to Stevi Petrelli of Yale in the White singles flight first round (6-3, 6-3), junior Lauren McCarthy (Danbury, Conn.) ended the day with a victory over Emily Harman of Syracuse (7-5, 7-5). In the Blue singles flight opening round, junior Sarah Lotto (Toronto, Ontario) fell in a hard fought match to Simone Kalhorn of Syracuse by a score of 7-5, 2-6, 10-7. Lotto later defeated Kristen Liu of Fairfield by a score of 6-2, 2-1 after Liu defaulted.

Penn State Results at Yale Invitational (Day One)
Singles
Blue Flight First Round: Monika Mical (PSU) def. Chelsea Jones (Syracuse) - 6-1, 6-0
Blue Flight First Round: Maria Prishlyak (PSU) def. Petra Santini (BU) - 3-0 (default)
Blue Flight First Round: Simone Kalhorn (Syracuse) def. Sarah Lotto (PSU) - 7-5, 2-6, 10-7
Blue Flight Second Round: Monika Mical (PSU) def. Janet Kim (Yale) - 5-7, 6-3, 10-6
Blue Flight Second Round: Vicky Brook (Yale) def. Maria Prishlyak (PSU) - 6-0, 6-1
Blue Flight Consolation Round: Sarah Lotto (PSU) def. Kristen Liu (Fairfield) 6-2, 2-1 (default)
White Flight First Round: Denisa Zobeideh (PSU) def. Paulina Rys (Fairfield) - 6-1, 6-4
White Flight First Round: Dorothy Dohanics (PSU) def. Natalie Ducker (Quinnipiac) 6-1, 6-4
White Flight First Round: Stevi Petrelli (Yale) def. Lauren McCarthy (PSU) - 6-3, 6-3
White Flight Second Round: Denisa Zobeideh (PSU) def. Jacquelynn Tang (Syracuse) - 6-0. 6-1
White Flight Second Round: Lindsay Clark (Yale) def. Dorothy Dohanics (PSU) - 6-3, 6-2
White Flight Consolation Round: Lauren McCarthy def. Emily Harman (Syracuse) - 7-5, 7-5
Silver Flight First Round: Kristen Roth (PSU) def. Carly Lowenstein (Quinnipiac) - 6-2, 6-1
Silver Flight First Round: Sarah Lederhandler (Yale) def. Michaela Stracar (PSU) - 6-3, 6-2
Silver Flight First Round: Allie Hefter (PSU) def. Tara Brennan (Fairfield) - 7-5, 6-1
Silver Flight First Round: Leyla Morzan (PSU) def. Danielle Abraham (BU) - 6-2, 6-4
Silver Flight Second Round: Lilian Nguyen (Yale) def. Kristen Roth (PSU) - 2-6, 7-5, 10-2
Silver Flight Consolation Round: Michaela Stracar (PSU) def. Katelyn Haycock - 6-3, 6-1
Silver Flight Second Round: Liz Corrao (BU) def. Allie Hefter (PSU) - 6-0, 6-1
Silver Flight Second Round: Leyla Morzan (PSU) def. Kasey Rosenberger (Quinnipiac) - 6-0, 6-2