Sept. 27, 2003
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Both singles and doubles matches were on tap Saturday at the DC Metro Championships, held on the campuses of Georgetown and American Universities. Day three of the six-day event featured six Patriot women in action. Despite mixed results, George Mason's women's tennis team represented itself well overall.
Among the Mason players at the tournament, four advanced out of their first round battles to compete in the round of 16.
In flight A, junior Jamie Delorie (McMurray, PA/Peters Township) fell to Georgetown's Libby Bartell, the draw's No. 4 seed, 1-6, 0-6. Freshman Maricel Ballester (Lima, Peru) also had a tough draw against No. 2 seed Nazli Genscoy of George Washington. Ballester fought hard in her match until finally succumbing in a close 2-6, 6-7(5) score.
In flight B, junior Katie Sloper (Alexandria, VA/Bishop Ireton) dropped a 3-6, 3-6 decision to Loyola's Claire Najour, while sophomore Kelly Melichar (Burke, VA/Lake Braddock) took her second consecutive opponent to three sets. Melichar won the first set 6-4, but would lose the second, 5-7, and the super tiebreak, (6-10) to Towson's Kelly Parson.
Both players in the consolation draw won their respective matches. Sophomore Jenn Dektas (Maineville, OH/Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy) topped Loyola's Carolyn Pilkington, 6-4, 6-1 in flight A. Senior Deepti Bhalla (Lorton, VA/Hayfield) bested Howard's Voncella McIntosh in three sets, 6-1, 3-6, (10-7) in flight B.
With no more players eligible to compete in the singles competition, the Patriots focused their efforts towards the doubles matches.
Two of the Patriots' three doubles tandems earned first round victories as well Saturday. The duo of Dektas and Delorie routed Mount St. Mary's #2 doubles team, 8-1, in flight A, while partners Melichar and Bhalla breezed past Mount St. Mary's #3 team by an identical 8-1 score in flight B. Ballester and Sloper, however, fell 2-8 to George Washington's No. 2 team in flight A.
Doubles play continues Sunday at the DC Metro Championships.
