Southern Illinois University
Memphis Invitational
Women's tennis finishes fall season at Memphis Invitational
10/22/2006 | 12:00:00 | Women's Tennis
Oct. 22, 2006
By Ryan Shaw
www.SIUSalukis.com
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Southern Illinois women's tennis team traveled to Memphis over the weekend to participate in their final tournament of the fall season. The Salukis walked away with the Division 2 doubles consolation championship title, as Amanda Taillefer and Sabine Tsala Mvilongo won three matches together to claim the title.
Taillefer usually plays with Andrea Courtney on the doubles courts, but Tsala Mvilongo took over with Courtney absent from the trip. The pair lost in their opening round match, sending them to the consolation draw. In the consolation bracket, the duo first defeated Ekin Zafir and Dara Toulch of the host school, Memphis, 8-5.
Tallifer and Tsala Mvilongo knocked off Arkansas State's Renee Branker and My-Hang Nguyen, 8-4, in the semifinal to move on to face Memphis' Flavia Russo and Amanda Brown. The Saluki tandem battled to defeat Russo and Brown 9-7 and took the title home.
"Amanda and Sabine had a tough first round match, but bounced back in a big way," head coach René Vidal said. "They worked well together. There was good chemistry and communication between them. They also never gave up. Down 7-4 in the final, they put together 5 games in a row for the win."
Michela Cruise and Jessica Flannery struggled in doubles, falling in the first round, 8-2, to Memphis' Marjorie Ondeck and Alex Tjioe. The pair then fell in the first round of the consolation draw to Campbell University's Nina Surviladze and Blanca Saenz, 8-4.
Cruise was the only Saluki to pick up a win in singles, defeating Zafir 7-5, 6-0 in the first round before falling in her next match.
With the fall season behind them, Vidal and his team will evaluate their fall performances and prepare for the spring season.
"We will continue to work hard and prioritize individual player development throughout the remainder of this semester," Vidal said.
The Salukis will return to action on February 3 when they travel to Cincinnati to take on Xavier.
Players Mentioned
