Sept. 19, 2010
Arlington, Texas - With just a few weeks of practice, the UT Arlington men's and women's tennis teams traveled to their first invitational of the fall season.
In day one of the Midland Invitational, newcomer Natalia Mayuk opened up with a 5-7, 6-4 and 10-3 win over Rice's Danny Trigo. Mayuk advanced to the next round where she pulled out a win over the 47th player in the ITA women's rankings.
"We are very happy first of all with Natalia's win against a top-50 nationally ranked player as well as all the other wins the girls brought home over high caliber players," said Head Coach Diego Benitez and Assistant Coach Marco Matteucci. "Midland has some of the best teams in the country and we measured up very well against them in every match we played. With this under our belts it should give all of them confidence looking forward to the regional tournament and our spring season."
Newcomer Giada D'ortona dropped a 6-1, 6-2 decision to Nebraska's Stefania Weinstein then suffered a 6-3, 6-3 setback in the first round of the consolation draw to KP Issara from Pepperdine.
Junior Maria Martinez-Romero dropped a hard-fought 4-6, 6-4 and 10-6 decision in the first round to Texas Tech No. 1 singles player Sandra Dynka but followed with a first round consolation draw win over Marie Berdad 6-2, 2-1 ret.
Senior Diana Negreanu recorded a first round win over Sheri Oliver of Texas A&M 6-2, 6-4, but in the second round was force to retiree due to injury to Ali Waters of Pepperdine after the first set lost 6-2.
Newcomer Linda Aqvist suffered a second round loss to Jo-Anne Karaitiana of Tulsa 6-4, 7-5.
In doubles action Mayuk and Aqvist teamed up, dropping a 9-8 decision in the first round to Rasch and Trigo.
D'ortona and Martinez-Romero notched a first round win against Penn State's Henderson and Pryshlyak 8-6. In day two, Martinez dropped a 7-5, 7-5 decision to Jessica Jackson.
Aqvist won her second round consolation draw against Maria Pryshlyak 6-4,6-4, and lost another close match to Stefanie Davidson of Texas A&M 6-3 7-5.
On the men's side sophomore Yauheni Yakauleu started off slow, falling in the first round to Christian Saravia of Rice 6-1, 6-2 but came back later in the day in the first round consolation draw to record a huge 6-4, 5-7, and 10-6 win over Alastair Barnest of Tulsa. David Subirats dropped a 6-4, 6-2 decision to El-Dad Campbell from Abilene Christian University 6-4, 6-2.
Mindaugas Celedinas lost his first round match to Alex Hilliard of Texas 6-4 ,5-7, and 11-9, but then followed with a first round consolation draw victory against Texas Tech's Jeff Bryan 6-4 6-3.
Freshman Lucas Leppin showed good signs in his first match but fell short losing a first round battle against John Harry Warden of Oklahoma 6-7 6-3, and 10-8. In the consolation round, Leppin suffered a loss in a close match to Joe Hattrup of SMU 6-3, 7-6.
Freshman Erik Hjertonsson suffered a first round loss to University of New Mexico's Jadon Phillips but rebounded with a win in the consolation draw, winning 6-4, 7-5 against senior David Gonzales of Texas Tech.
In doubles action, Subrats and Hjertonsson dropped an 8-2 decision to Husslein and Saravia.
Celedinas and Yakauleu defeated Campbell and Jointer from ACU 9-8. The tandem dropped a close match over San Diego's Jackson and Pohlmann 9-8.
In day two, Erik Hjertonsson suffered a loss in the second round consolation draw to Robert Sajovitch 6-1, 6-1 while Celedinas lost a very close match against the No.67 ranked ITA singles player from University of San Diego 6-4, 7-6.
Yakauleu continued into the consolation tournament with a win against Robert Lambeth from SMU 6-1, 7-5, advancing to the semifinals where he lost a hard fought decision to Joe Hattrup of SMU 2-6, 7-5, and 10-4.
