George Washington University

Oct. 18, 2004

NEWPORT NEWS, VA - The George Washington University women's tennis team returned to action this past weekend, Oct. 15-17, at the Hampton Roads Collegiate Invitational of Newport News. Freshman Kendall Swenson (Shaker Heights, OH) turned in a solid performance over the three-day tournament to lead the Colonials, advancing to the finals in Flight B-1 singles.

Swenson opened with a first-round bye, then topped Jacqui Bonder of Lafayette in straight sets, 6-0, 6-0. In the quarterfinals, Swenson defeated Jen LoRusso of Connecticut, 6-3, 6-3, before earning a trip to the finals after Leda Pesatova of Hampton retired with an injury in their semifinal match with Swenson leading 5-2. In the end, Fernada Luiz of Old Dominion proved to be too much for Swenson in the finals, earning the title with a 6-0, 6-2 victory.

In other action, senior Sevla Gonca (Ankara, Turkey) won consecutive matches in Flight C singles in straight sets, before falling to Camille Ripert of VCU in the quarters, 6-2, 6-4. Gonca defeated Norfolk State's Melencia Johnson, 6-0, 6-0, then downed Linda Garder of ODU, 7-5, 6-3.

GW's top doubles tandem of juniors Sandra Simunic (Westerville, OH) and Anastasia Skavronskaia (Miami, FL) defeated Flaminia Migone and Fiorela Valdivia of Norfolk State, 8-4, in their opening round match in Flight A-2 to highlight doubles play for the Colonials.

The Colonials return to action when they travel to Philadelphia, PA, for the Rolex/ITA Eastern Regional Championships, Friday, Oct. 22, through Tuesday, Oct. 26, hosted by the University of Pennsylvania.

Hampton Roads Collegiate Invitational Results
Flight A Singles
Anastasia Skavronskaia (GW) d. Vera Maleznik (Hofstra), 6-1, 6-1
#1 Olga Borisova (VCU) d. Skavronskaia (GW), 6-1, 6-2
Alexa Korotkevich (VCU) d. Sandra Simunic (GW), 6-1, 6-2
Kerstin Endlich (ODU) d. Simunic (GW), WD (inj.) (Consolation match)
Flight B-1 Singles
Kendall Swenson (GW) d. Jacqui Bonder (Lafayette), 6-0, 6-0
Swenson (GW) d. Jen LoRusso (UConn), 6-3, 6-3
Swenson (GW) d. Leda Pesatova (Hampton), 5-2 ret. (inj.) (Semifinals)
Fernada Luiz (ODU) d. Swenson (GW), 6-0, 6-2 (Final)
Flight B-2 Singles
Alex de Guzman (William & Mary) d. Natasha Bode (GW), 6-3, 6-3
Bode (GW) d. Caroline Downs (Radford), 8-4 (Consolation match)
Flight C Singles
Sevla Gonca (GW) d. Melencia Johnson (Norfolk State), 6-0, 6-0
Gonca (GW) d. Linda Garder (ODU), 7-5, 6-3
Camille Ripert (VCU) d. Gonca (GW), 6-2, 6-4
Flight A-2 Doubles
Simunic/Skavronskaia (GW) d. Migone/Valdivia (Norfolk State), 8-4
Marin/Smith (Howard) d. Simunic/Skavronskaia (GW), WD (inj.) (Semifinals)
Flight B-1 Doubles
Besedova/Kapisinska (Hampton) d. Bode/Swenson (GW), 8-4
Flight B-2 Doubles
Dragonette/de Graffenreid (Delaware) d. Furdyna (UMBC)/Gonca (GW), 8-2