CINCINNATI - The first fall tournament for the University of Cincinnati tennis team got off to a strong start for the Bearcats Friday in West Lafayette, Ind., as four members of the UC team combined to post a 7-2 record on the day, including a 4-0 record in doubles play, at the Purdue Fall Invitational. Alexia Coutino and Anna Philp both reached the semifinals of their singles bracket while the team of Amanda Huser and Philp reached the finals of their doubles draw.
// COACH'S VIEW
Following the first day action, assistant coach Katarina Adamovic had this to say about the play of the Bearcats on the first day of fall competition:
"Overall, it was a good day for the girls. It was their first tournament after a couple of months off and they did a great job competing and implementing things that we've been working on so far. We still have a lot of tennis left to play this weekend and it will be a great pointer on what we need to keep working moving forward."
// DOUBLING DOWN
Both doubles teams posted perfect 2-0 records on the day with the duo of Huser & Philp reaching the final of their draw while the team of Coutino and Ioana Guna reached the semifinals. In the Purdue Doubles draw, Huser & Philp opened the day with an 8-0 defeat of Eastern Michigan's team of Maria Regaldo & Essence Eaton. Then, in the semifinal, the Bearcats took an 8-2 victory over the team of Elizabeth Koyzi (UConn) & Eleanor Chapman (Lipscomb). Saturday, Huser & Philp will look to capture gold as the duo faces the team of Marija Jovicic & Maddie Yergler (DePaul) in the final.
In the Gold Doubles draw, the team of Coutino & Guna also posted a 2-0 record which placed them in the semifinals. The Bearcats duo opened the day with an 8-3 victory over the team of Maria Potsi & Jovana Peric (Northern Illinois) before duplicating the score in the quarterfinals in a win over Yuliya Kizelbaseva & Lenka Antonijevic (DePaul). Saturday, the Bearcats will face the team of Raven Neely & Dina Chaika (Louisville) for a spot in the final.
// COLLISION COURSE?
In singles play, both Coutino and Philp were placed in the Purdue Pete draw with both Bearcats working toward a collision course in the final. On the top half of the draw, Coutino registered a 2-0 record on the day as she downed Grace Whitney (Wright State) in the first round, 6-0, 2-6, 6-1, before handing Julia Piatek (Eastern Michigan) a 6-3, 6-2 defeat in the quarterfinal. In Saturday's semifinal round, Coutino will face Antonijevic (DePaul), who she earlier defeated in doubles play.
On the bottom half of the draw, Philip earned a first-round bye before winning her lone match of the day, a 6-1, 6-0 defeat of Mary Ellen Green (Northern Illinois). With the victory, Philp will face Maddie Yergler (DePaul) in the semifinal, meaning both semifinals will feature Cincinnati vs. DePaul for a chance at the final.
// STILL IN IT
Despite opening-round losses, both Guna and Huser remain alive in singles play as well. Guna will look to bounce back from a three-set defeat after falling to Alina Kuzmenkova (DePaul), 3-6, 6-2, 6-0, in the quarterfinals. She will face Luisa Pelayo (WSU) in the consolation semifinal Saturday. Huser, playing in the Basham Court draw, opener her day in the quarterfinals where she dropped a 6-0, 6-1 decision to Maria Jose Magro Quiroz (Bowling Green). She will now take on Anna Reynolds (Wright State) in the consolation semifinal Saturday with a chance at playing for fifth place in her bracket.
// NEXT SERVE
Action continues Saturday at Purdue with action set to start at 9 a.m. with two rounds of doubles followed by one round of singles. All four Bearcats will be in action Saturday as well.
2019 Purdue Fall Invitational
Day 1 • Schwart Tennis Center • West Lafayette, Ind.
Singles
Draw: Purdue Pete
Alexia Coutino (2-0)
First Round: Coutino def. Grace Whitney (WSU), 6-0, 2-6, 6-1
Quarterfinal: Coutino def. Julia Piatek (EMU), 6-3, 6-2
Semifinal: Coutino vs. Lenka Antonijevic (DePaul) • Saturday
Anna Philp (1-0)
First Round: BYE
Quarterfinal: Philp vs. Mary Ellen Green (NIU), 6-1, 6-0
Semifinal: Philp vs. Maddie Yergler (DePaul) • Saturday
Draw: Purdue Singles
Ioana Guna (0-1)
Quarterfinal: Alina Kuzmenkova (DePaul) def. Guna, 3-6, 6-2, 6-0
Conso Semi: Guna vs. Luisa Pelayo (WSU) • Saturday
Draw: Basham Court
Amanda Huser (0-1)
Quarterfinal: Maria Jose Magro Quiroz (BGSU) def. Huser, 6-0, 6-1
Conso Semi: Huser vs. Anna Reynolds (WSU) • Saturday
Doubles
Draw: Gold Doubles
Alexia Coutino/Ioana Guna (2-0)
First Round: Coutino/Guna def. Maria Potsi/Jovana Peric (NIU), 8-3
Quarterfinal: Coutino/Guna def. Yuliya Kizelbasheva/Lenka Antonijevic (DePaul), 8-3
Semifinal: Coutino/Guna vs Raven Neely/Dina Chaika (UL) • Saturday
Draw: Purdue Doubles
Amanda Huser/Anna Philp (2-0)
Quarters: Huser/Philp def. Maria Regaldo/Essence Eaton (EMU), 8-0
Semifinal: Huser/Philp def. Elizabeth Kozyi (UConn)/Eleanor Chapman (LIP), 8-2
FINAL: Huser/Philp vs. Marija Jovicic/Maddie Yergler (DePaul) • Saturday
Bearcats Start Strong at Purdue Invitational
The first fall tournament for the University of Cincinnati tennis team got off to a strong start for the Bearcats Friday in West Lafayette, Ind., as four members of the UC team combined to post a 7-2 record on the day, including a 4-0 record in doubles play, at the Purdue Fall Invitational.
