Colorado State University Athletics
Colorado State
Wyoming Invitational
CSU tennis takes first place in four of five flights
9/13/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Sept. 13, 2008
By Mackenzie Altman
Athletic Media Relations
LARAMIE, Wyo. - - Colorado State's tennis team got off to a tremendous start to the 2008-09 season, completing its first tournament by winning four finals at the Wyoming Invitational Saturday.
"We swept the top two flights of the invitational with our top seven players," said Head Coach Jon Messick. "This is absolutely outstanding for our team and it is just a reflection of how hard we have worked this year."
The tournament consists of three flights of singles, Flight 1 (gold), Flight 2 (brown) and Flight 3 (white), and two flights of doubles, Flight 1 (gold) and Flight 2 (brown).
Saturday, the Rams competed in the gold, brown, and white singles flights in addition to the gold and brown doubles flight.
In the semifinals of the gold singles flight, Laura Neal earned a victory against Stephanie Jasper (Montana State), 7-5, 6-2. Lauren Strasburger defeated Manuela Santos (Northern Colorado), 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, in the semifinals earning a spot in the top flight of the gold singles finals.
Strasburger faced off against teammate Neal in the finals of the gold singles flight Saturday. The Rams opted to play an eight-game pro set in which Strasburger defeated Neal, 8-4, winning the gold singles flight of the invitational.
Freshman Tori Arneson competed in a backdraw of the gold singles flight and was defeated by Tiffany Knop (Northern Colorado), 6-2, 6-0.
In the semifinals of the bottom bracket of the brown singles flight, Greer Satherlie earned a win against teammate Kirsten Stople, 6-2, 6-1. Satherlie went on to defeat Carly Van Hollen (Wyoming), 6-3, 6-4, in the finals, winning the brown singles flight. Anette Pohjalainen was defeated by Carly Van Hollen (Wyoming) in the semifinals round, 6-1, 7-6.
The Rams played in three backdraw matches Saturday in the white singles flights. Katie Brown fell to Karlie Hancock (Weber State), 6-3, 6-3. Rui Xu was defeated by Lori Gallup (Weber State) in a tiebreaker, 3-6, 7-6, and 1-0 (4). Manar Al-Jazzaf fell to Jill Kappel (Northern Colorado), 6-4, 6-2.
In the finals of the gold doubles flight, Neal/Pohjalainen earned a victory against Hilmer/Griffin (Montana State), 8-6, to take first place in the flight.
Two backdraw matches were played in the gold doubles flight. Stople/Arneson fell to Farris/Hancock (Weber State), 8-4. Strasburger/Lauren Mulhern were defeated by Knop/LaForest (Northern Colorado), 8-3.
In the finals of the brown doubles flight, Brown/Satherlie defeated teammates Al-Jazzaf/Xu, 8-0, to take first place in the flight.
The Rams return to the court Thursday, when they enter the BYU Invitational in Provo, Utah.
Colorado State at Wyoming Invitational
Gold (Singles)
Semifinals
Laura Neal (CSU) def. Stephanie Jasper (Montana State) 7-5, 6-2
Lauren Strasburger (CSU) def. Manuela Santos (Northern Colorado) 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
Gold (Singles)
Finals
Lauren Strasburger (CSU) def. Laura Neal (CSU) 8-4
Gold (Singles)
Backdraw
Tiffany Knop (Northern Colorado) def. Tori Arneson (CSU) 6-2, 6-0
Brown (Singles)
Semifinals
Carly Van Hollen (Wyoming) def. Anette Pohjalainen (CSU) 6-1, 7-6
Greer Satherlie (CSU) def. Kirsten Stople (CSU) 6-2, 6-1
Brown (Singles)
Finals
Greer Satherlie (CSU) def. Carly Van Hollen (Wyoming) 6-3, 6-4
White (Singles)
Backdraw
Karlie Hancock (Weber State) def. Katie Brown (CSU) 6-3, 6-3
Lori Gallup (Weber State) def. Rui Xu (CSU) 3-6, 7-6, 1-0 (4)
Jill Kappel (Northern Colorado) def. Manar Al-Jazzaf 6-4, 6-2
Gold (Doubles)
Finals
Neal/Pohjalainen (CSU) def. Hilmer/Griffin (Montana State) 8-6
Gold (Doubles)
Backdraw
Stople/Arneson (CSU) def. Farris/Hancock (Weber State) 8-4
Strasburger/Mulhern (CSU) def. Knop/LaForest (Northern Colorado) 8-3
Brown (Doubles)
Finals
Brown/Satherlie (CSU) def. Al-Jazzaf/Xu (CSU) 8-0
Players Mentioned
