Oct. 16, 2006

Newport News, Va. - The George Mason Women's Tennis team participated this past weekend in the Hampton Roads Collegiate Invitational in Newport News, Va. This three day event allowed Mason to gain valuable experience in which the team can build from for the spring season. "This was a great way for this young team to get a taste of what to expect in the spring. I think this was a positive learning experience on which we can build." said Coach Stephen Curtis after the tournament was complete.

On Day one, Mason participated in eight singles and three doubles matches. Unfortunately though, Julia Moscato recorded the only win for Mason on the day defeating Tracy Stecko of George Washington 6-1, 4-6, 10-7 in the second round (she received a bye in round one) of flight B competition. Alex LaCoste and Maricel Ballester also competed in flight B. Both received a bye in round one and were defeated in the second round of play. LaCoste played a strong match, losing to Jaimee Wylie of Drexel, 6-2, 3-6, 4-10. Ballester was defeated by Pascaline Cette of UMBC by a score of 2-6, 1-6. In flight C play, Anita Sager, Claudia Antezano and Alica Van Zandt were all defeated in their first matches of the day. Sager battled Brittany Barksy of Delaware in the second round after receiving a bye in round one, Antezano went against Jill Toussaint of Drexel and Van Zandt competed in a hard fought match against Ally Spector of Radford. Jen Kramer and Ellen Mathis completed singles play for Mason in flight D play. Kramer was defeated in round one by Whitney Tillman of Temple, and Mathis lost to Stacy Rickard of Mary Washington in the second round after receiving a bye in round one. Flight B of doubles play pitted Ballester and LaCoste against Daniella Milano and Camila Noldin from Radford. Milano and Noldin won the match by a score of 8-2. In flight C, Mason's Moscato and Van Zandt lost a close match to Natalie Fugate and Katie Miglin of Mary Washington by a score of 6-8. In flight D, Kramer and Mathis played hard in a loss to Kierra McMillan and Ryoko Sabo of Virginia Wesleyan with a final score of 4-8.

On Day 2 of the tournament, the young Mason team was able to rebound from a rough first day. Out of ten singles matches played on the day for Mason, they came up with five wins. In flight B, Moscato lost in the quarter final round to Christine Clermont of Temple by a score of 3-6, 1-6. Mason's Ballester came up with two big wins defeating Elana Berry of Delaware in the quarter finals and then taking down Keri Swan of Loyola in the semi-finals of the consolation draw. LaCoste rounded out flight B for Mason with a loss to Briana Jain of JMU. In flight C, Sager and Antezano both took home wins. Sager defeated Terese Lavan of Winston Salem by a score of 8-3. Antezano took down Amanda Walker of Winston Salem by a score of 8-5. The only loss in flight C for Mason came as Van Zandt lost a really close match to Valerie McDonald of Hofstra by a score of 6-8. In flight D, Ellen Mathis won her first match in the quarter finals of the consolation draw defeating Carmen Davis of Winston Salem 8-5. In her second match of the day, she was defeated by Anne Day of JMU 1-8 in the semi-finals. Kramer ended singles play on the day for Mason after she was defeated by Erica Kayukawa of Washington College by a score of 3-8. In the only doubles match of the day for Mason, Antezano and Sager were defeated by Imee Batista and Megan Crook of Virginia Wesleyan by a score of 1-8.

Mason wrapped up play on day three with three players competing in finals or semi-finals matches. Ballester earned a second place finish after she was defeated by University of Pittsburgh's Carlie Smith in the consolation finals. Sager was defeated in her semi-finals match by Mason Davis of Longwood by a score of 5-8 and Antezano was beat by Delaware's Kristin Mueller in the flight C semi-finals.

Mason's Women will be in competition one last time this fall as they compete this weekend at the ITA Regional Championships in Hanover, N.H. Mason is looking to end the fall on a good note, while gaining the much needed experience that the young team will need for the upcoming spring season.

Day 1 (10/13/06)
Singles
B Flight
Julia Moscato (Mason) - first round bye
Julia Moscato (Mason) defeated Tracy Stecko (GW) 6-1, 4-6, 10-7
Alex LaCoste (Mason) - first round bye
Jaimee Wylie (Drexel) defeated Alex LaCoste (Mason) 2-6, 6-3, 10-4
Maricel Ballester (Mason) - first round bye
Pascaline Cette (UMBC) defeated Maricel Ballester (Mason) 6-2, 6-1
C Flight
Anita Sager - first round bye
Brittany Barsky (Delaware) defeated Anita Sager (Mason) 6-0, 6-3
Jill Toussaint (Drexel) defeated Claudia Antezano (Mason) 6-1, 6-0
Ally Spector (Radford) defeated Alicia Van Zandt (Mason) 6-4, 6-2
D Flight
Whitney Tillman (Temple) defeated Jen Kramer (Mason) 6-2, 6-3
Ellen Mathis - first round bye
Stacey Rickard (Mary Washington) defeated Ellen Mathis (Mason) 6-3, 6-1
Doubles
B Flight
Daniella Milano/Camila Noldin (Radford) defeated Ballester/LaCoste (Mason) 8-2
C Flight
Natalie Fugate/Katie Miglin (Mary Washington) defeated Moscato/Van Zandt (Mason) 8-6
D Flight
Kierra McMillan/Ryoko Sabo (Va Wesleyan) defeated Mathis/Kramer (Mason) 8-4
Day 2 (10/14/06)
Singles
B Flight
Christine Clermont (Temple) defeated Julia Moscato (Mason) 6-3, 6-1
Maricel Ballester (Mason) defeated Elana Berry (Delaware) 8-3
Maricel Ballester (Mason) defeated Keri Swan (Loyola) 8-2
Briana Jain (JMU) defeated Alex LaCoste (Mason) 8-2
C Flight
Anita Sager (Mason) defeated Terese Lavan (Winston Salem) 8-3
Claudia Antezano (Mason) defeated Amanda Walker (Winston Salem) 8-5
Valerie McDonald (Hofstra) defeated Alicia Van Zandt (Mason) 8-6
D Flight
Ellen Mathis (Mason) defeated Carmen Davis (Winston Salem) 8-5
Anne Day (JMU) defeated Ellen Mathis (Mason) 8-1
Erica Kayukawa (Washington College) defeated Jen Kramer (Mason) 8-3
Doubles
D Flight
Imee Batista/Megan Crook (Va Wesleyan) defeated Antezano/Sager (Mason) 8-1
Day 3 (10/15/06)
Flight B
Carlie Smith (Pittsburgh) defeated Maricel Ballester (Mason) 8-2
Flight C
Mason Davis (Longwood) defeated Anita Sager (Mason) 8-5
Kristin Mueller (Delaware) defeated Claudia Antezano (Mason) N/A