Women’s tennis hosts Division I schools at home invitational

The Carnegie Mellon women’s tennis team competed against players from Division I schools Robert Morris University, Duquesne University, and the University of Pittsburgh this weekend in the annual Carnegie Mellon Invitational.

According to head coach Andy Girard, the invitational gives the Carnegie Mellon women a chance to take a crack at the top-level competition that Pitt and Duquesne bring to the tournament before facing conference opponents in the regular season.

“I think we have the potential to be a top-10 program in the country. We’re very young but the girls have a great attitude and work very hard,” Girard said. Indeed, the first-year players made an impressive debut, with Kelly Hart, Brooke Loar, and Ashley Herrick scoring victories.

In singles play, Tartan senior Amy Staloch took third. She edged Pitt player Sabrina Visram 6–3, 5–7, 10–6 before losing to another Pitt player, Elizabeth Adams (0–6, 3–6).

Staloch took third place after beating Rachel McGowan of Duquesne 8–6. Also in flight one, first-year Jennifer Chui lost 6–7 (5), 6–0, 7–10 to McGowan in a see-saw affair.

In the second flight of singles, Hart inflicted a double bagel on Robert Morris opponent Kali Delorie (6–0, 6–0). There’s always a bigger fish in the pond though, and Hart lost to Carlie Smith of Pitt (6–1, 6–1). Loar went 2–1 overall by defeating another Pitt player 6–2, 3–6, 10–6 and also Rebecca Poole of Duquesne (8–3). She finished third in the second flight.

Although sophomore Alisa Liebowitz lost two close matches in the second flight, she was upbeat. “It’s really good competition. Our games are brought up. We compete really well against them.”
In the third flight, Herrick took second place. She won 7–5, 6–0 over a Duquesne player and followed that win up with a gutsy 6–4 7–6 (4) victory over Pitt player Shannon Benic. Herrick, though, lost her third match 3–6, 1–6 to Stephanie Scheinoff of Pitt.

In the fourth flight, junior Kelly Nakamura demolished her opponent 6–1, 6–0 before losing to Pitt player Anna Broverman (2–6, 1–6).

In doubles, Staloch and Chiu teamed for an 8–6 victory over the Pitt pairing of Visram and Kristy Borza. Liebowitz and senior Samantha Schultz beat their opponents 8–2.

Duquesne player Poole enjoyed the tournament. “I’m happy with the amount of spectators. It’s more fun when you’ve got people watching. Since the courts are central on campus, you just get people walking by,” she said.