University of Delaware Athletics
Three Hens Reach Singles Championship Matches, Two Others Reach Semis at Saint Joseph's Invitational
10/2/2011 2:35:00 PM | Women's Tennis
Fighting rain throughout the weekend long event, Sunday's action was moved to the Healthplex in Philadelphia. With the rain-shortened event, only the main draw of singles matches were played to conclusion.
In the Singles Flight No. 2 bracket, sophomore Dorothy Safron reached the finals for a second-straight year. Last season, Safron won the No. 1 flight and played in the second flight at this year's event. After a first-round bye, Safron reached the semifinals with a challenging 6-0, 7-6 (7) result over Saint Joseph's Aurora Davis. The second-year Blue Hen cruised past Rhode Island's Tristany Leikem 6-2, 6-0. In the finals however, it was Drexel's Marcela Rosale's who got the best of Safron 6-3, 6-2.
Flight three action saw Olivia Heim also reach the finals, looking to defend her Flight No. 3 title from a year ago. Like Safron, Heim had a first round bye, proving her talent in the second round with a 6-1, 6-0 win to advance to the semifinals against the Hawks' Tara Walsh. In the semis, Heim was pushed to three sets before coming out on top 6-3, 4-6, 10-5 against Nithila Asokaraj of Rhode Island. Heim could not go for the sweep as she was edged 6-2, 6-2 by Temple's Rebecca Breland in the title match.
In the fourth flight, Amanda Halstrom cruised into the semifinals with a 6-0, 6-0 sweep against Rhode Island's Samantha Greco. Halstrom, who had a first-round bye, got into the championship round with a 6-2, 6-3 victory against Mel Reyes of Drexel. In the finals however, Halstrom faltered, dropping a 6-4, 6-1 result versus Maame Ama Osei.
Sophie Sjoberg-Sundstrom (above at right) reached the semifinals of the No. 1 flight before bowing out. The senior enjoyed a first-round bye before battling Pam Emery from Rhode Island in the quarterfinals. Sjoberg-Sundstrom snagged a three-set win 2-6, 6-3, 10-5 to reach the semifinals. The Blue Hen fell to eventual runner-up Casey Robinson from Saint Joseph's 6-2, 6-3.
Teammate Sam Carnall, Delaware's all-time winningest singles player, went 2-1 in the No. 1 at the tournament, picking up a 6-0, 6-1 win in the first round over Allison Solberg of Villanova. In the second round, the Blue Hen senior edged Saint Joseph's Devi Jadeja 6-4, 6-0. Carnall fell in the semifinals to the eventual champion, Temple's Yana Marvina 6-3, 6-4.
In the singles flight No. 3 bracket, freshman Kim Milla reached the semifinals, winning her first-round match 6-1, 6-1 against Lafayette's Katherine Charchalis. Milla won her second round matchup with the Hawks' Kelly Mulquin 7-6(5), 6-0. In the semifinals, the Blue Hen rookie fell 6-3, 6-0 to eventual champion Rebecca Breland of Temple.
Heim and Milla reached the No. 2 Doubles finals, but the championship match was not contested against Drexel's pair of Sonja Stosic and Alex Bell.
Delaware's next tournament will be the Hampton Roads Tournament, which will be played in Huntington Park, Va. The weekend-long event will begin on Oct. 7 and run through Oct. 9.
