January Aces; Chirico Advances to Semifinals in Midland; Defending Champion Duke Falls in Opening Round at Women's Team Indoor

My column highlighting the top performances of January is up today at the Tennis Recruiting Network. This month's roster of aces are all 18 years old or younger.

Louisa Chirico reached the semifinals of the $100,000 Dow Corning Tennis Classic in Midland, Michigan, defeating 17-year-old Naomi Osaka of Japan 7-5, 5-7, 7-5 in a match every bit as tough as the scoreline would indicate. The 18-year-old New Yorker led 2-0 in both the second and third sets, but couldn't hold on, as Osaka was able to harness her power and hit her way back into both sets.  Chirico saved three break points serving and 5-5 in the third, and Osaka was broken at love to give Chirico the win. Although Chirico reached the semifinals of a $75,000 tournament last fall, this is her best result at any level above that.

Chirico, the No. 8 seed, will play unseeded Katerina Vankova of the Czech Republic in the semifinal. Vankova, who played briefly at SMU, defeated Bernada Pera 6-3, 3-6, 7-5.

The other semifinal features qualifier Nicole Vaidisova of the Czech Republic against No. 6 seed Tatjana Maria of Germany. Vaidisova ended the fine run of former Tennessee Volunteer Caitlin Whoriskey 6-1, 2-6, 6-0, while Maria downed Sachia Vickery 6-4, 6-3.

Some exciting matches and a couple of upsets at the Boars Head Sports Club today, with defending champion Duke, seeded fourth, losing to TCU 4-3 in the first round of the ITA Women's Team Indoor Championships, hosted by the University of Virginia.  Playing without No. 1 Beatrice Capra, Duke won the doubles point, but lost at the No. 2, 3, 4 and 6 singles positions.  TCU's Alexis Pereira clinched the best win in the program's history for the Horned Frogs by beating Annie Mulholland at line 6.  A complete recap is available at the TCU website.
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#20 TCU 4, #4 Duke 3
Feb 6, 2015
Singles
1. #87 Ester Goldfeld (DU) def. Stefanie Tan (TCU) 2-6, 6-2, 6-4
2. Simona Parajova (TCU) def. #55 Samantha Harris (DU) 6-3, 6-4
3. Sofiko Kadzhaya (TCU) def. Rachel Kahan (DU) 6-3, 6-3
4. Palina Dubavets (TCU) def. Alyssa Smith (DU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
5. Rebecca Smaller (DU) def. Seda Arantekin (TCU) 4-6, 6-1, 6-0
6. Alexis Pereira (TCU) def. Annie Mulholland (DU) 6-3, 5-7, 6-4

Doubles
1. Ester Goldfeld/Alyssa Smith (DU) vs. Stefanie Tan/Seda Arantekin (TCU) 4-5, unfinished
2. Beatrice Capra/Rachel Kahan (DU) def. Simona Parajova/Sofiko Kadzhaya (TCU) 6-2
3. Annie Mulholland/Samantha Harris (DU) def. Palina Dubavets/Alexis Pereira (TCU) 6-4

Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (3,2,4,5,1,6)

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TCU will play No. 5 seed Cal in the quarterfinals, after the Bears came back from losing the doubles point and going down 3-0, to beat Vanderbilt 4-3. See the Cal website for more.

#5 Cal 4, #11 Vanderbilt 3
Feb 6, 2015
Singles
1. #5 Maegen Manasse (CAL) def. #15 Sydney Campbell (VANDY) 4-6, 6-0, 6-3
2. #78 Klara Fabikova (CAL) def. Courtney Colton (VANDY) 6-4, 7-5
3. #14 Zsofi Susanyi (CAL) def. Frances Altick (VANDY) 6-4, 6-3
4. Astra Sharma (VANDY) def. #64 Denise Starr (CAL) 6-3, 7-5
5. #77 Marie Casares (VANDY) def. #30 Karla Popovic (CAL) 6-4, 6-2
6. Cecilia Estlander (CAL) def. Georgina Sellyn (VANDY) 0-6, 6-3, 6-1

Doubles
1. #32 Courtney Colton/Sydney Campbell (VANDY) def. #4 Denise Starr/Maegen Manasse (CAL) 7-6
2. #9 Klara Fabikova/Zsofi Susanyi (CAL) def. Ashleigh Antal/Marie Casares (VANDY) 6-2
3. Frances Altick/Astra Sharma (VANDY) def. Cecilia Estlander/Karla Popovic (CAL) 6-0

Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (5,4,3,1,2,6) ====================

The first two matches of the day were a study in contrasts. North Carolina needed less than two hours to beat Oklahoma State 5-1, while Miami's 4-1 upset of No. 6 seed Alabama was approaching the four-hour mark when it was clinched, despite the no-ad scoring.  The North Carolina recap is here. The Miami recap is here.
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#3 North Carolina 5, #16 Oklahoma State 1
Feb 06, 2015
Singles
1. #8 Jamie Loeb (NC) def. #10 Viktoriya Lushkova (OSU) 6-2, 6-1
2. #31 Hayley Carter (NC) vs. Kelsey Laurente (OSU) 4-6, 2-4, unfinished
3. #22 Caroline Price (NC) def. #53 Katarina Adamovic (OSU) 6-3, 6-3
4. Vladica Babic (OSU) def. Whitney Kay (NC) 6-4, 6-1
5. Ashley Dai (NC) def. Karyn Guttormsen (OSU) 6-2, 6-2
6. Kate Vialle (NC) def. Carla Tur Mari (OSU) 6-1, 6-3

Doubles
1. #13 Ashley Dai/Kate Vialle (NC) vs. #5 Viktoriya Lushkova/Kelsey Laurente (OSU) 3-3, unfinished
2. Jamie Loeb/Caroline Price (NC) def. Katarina Adamovic/Vladica Babic (OSU) 6-1
3. Hayley Carter/Whitney Kay (NC) def. Maria Alvarez/Carla Tur Mari (OSU) 6-1


Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (1,4,5,3,6)

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#12 Miami 4, #7 Alabama 1Feb 6, 2015
Singles
1. #25 Erin Routliffe (UA) vs. #7 Stephanie Wagner (UM) 7-5, 6-7, 1-2, unfinished
2. #39 Sinead Lohan (UM) def. #56 Danielle Spielmann (UA) 6-2, 7-5
3. #59 Maya Jansen (UA) vs. #94 Lina Lileikite (UM) 6-4, 4-6, 4-5, unfinished
4. #88 Clementina Riobueno (UM) def. Emily Zabor (UA) 6-1, 6-2
5. Luicelena Perez (UA) def. #58 Wendy Zhang (UM) 2-6, 6-2, 6-1
6. Monique Albuquerque (UM) def. Natalia Maynetto (UA) 2-6, 6-2, 6-4

Doubles
1. #18 Maya Jansen/Erin Routliffe (UA) def. #8 Lina Lileikite/Stephanie Wagner (UM) 6-3
2. #15 Monique Albuquerque/Clementina Riobueno (UM) def. Danielle Spielmann/Emily Zabor (UA) 6-3
3. #37 Wendy Zhang/Sinead Lohan (UM) def. Natalia Maynetto/Luicelena Perez (UA) 7-6 (8-6)

Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (4,2,5,6)
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Top seed UCLA defeated Kentucky 4-0, with the Bruins' Jennifer Brady not making the trip to Charlottesville due to an injury. UCLA will play No. 8 seed Georgia, who beat Michigan 4-1.  The UCLA recap is here. The Georgia recap is here.

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#1 UCLA 4, #26 Kentucky 0
Feb 6, 2015 
Singles
1. #2 Robin Anderson (UCLA) def. Nadia Ravita (UK) 6-0, 6-1
2. #3 Chanelle Van Nguyen (UCLA) vs. #125 Aldila Sutjiadi (UK) 3-6, 5-6, unfinished
3. Kyle McPhillips (UCLA) def. Kelsey Dieters (UK) 6-1, 6-2
4. Catherine Harrison (UCLA) vs. Mami Adachi (UK) 7-6, 3-3, unfinished
5. #79 Kaitlin Ray (UCLA) vs. Kirsten Lewis (UK) 3-6, 6-4, 0-0, unfinished
6. Terri Fleming (UCLA) def. Caterina Brunamonti (UK) 7-6, 6-1

Doubles
1. #1 Catherine Harrison/Kyle McPhillips (UCLA) def. Mami Adachi/Aldila Sutjiadi (UK) 6-4
2. Robin Anderson/Terri Fleming (UCLA) def. Nadia Ravita/Taylor Lederman (UK) 7-5
3. Chanelle Van Nguyen/Kristin Wiley (UCLA) vs. E. Morin-Kougoucheff/Kirsten Lewis (UK) 5-6, unfinished

Order of finish: Doubles (1, 2); Singles (1,3,6)
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#9 Georgia 4, #15 Michigan 1
Feb 6, 2015
Singles
1. #19 Lauren Herring (UGA) def. #18 Emina Bektas (MICH) 6-1, 7-6
2. Ellen Perez (UGA) vs. #23 Ronit Yurovsky (MICH) 6-7, 6-2, 0-0, unfinished
3. Kennedy Shaffer (UGA) def. #38 Sarah Lee (MICH) 6-4, 6-2
4. Alex Najarian (MICH) def. #83 Silvia Garcia (UGA) 6-2, 6-2
5. Caroline Brinson (UGA) def. Mira Ruder-Hook (MICH) 6-0, 6-4
6. Mariana Gould (UGA) vs. Sara Remynse (MICH) 7-5, 0-4, unfinished

Doubles
1. Lauren Herring/Ellen Perez (UGA) vs. #10 Emina Bektas/Alex Najarian (MICH) 6-6, unfinished
2. Silvia Garcia/Kennedy Shaffer (UGA) def. #35 Sarah Lee/Ronit Yurovsky (MICH) 6-4
3. Caroline Brinson/Hannah King (UGA) def. Annie Wierda/Mira Ruder-Hook (MICH) 6-1

Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (5,4,1,3)
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Host Virginia, seeded No. 7, beat Southern Cal 4-2, getting the doubles point and wins at 1,2, and 3 singles. It's great to see Sabrina Santamaria back in the lineup for the Trojans.  The Virginia recap is here.

#10 Virginia 4, #14 USC 2
Feb 6, 2015
Singles
1. #1 Julia Elbaba (VA) def. #41 Giuliana Olmos (USC-W) 6-4, 6-2
2. #42 Danielle Collins (VA) def. #44 Zoe Scandalis (USC-W) 6-2, 6-1
3. #16 Stephanie Nauta (VA) def. #48 Gabby Smith (USC-W) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
4. Skylar Morton (VA) vs. Sabrina Santamaria (USC-W) 6-2, 2-6, 5-5, unfinished
5. Meredith Xepoleas (USC-W) def. Maci Epstein (VA) 6-4, 7-5
6. #45 Madison Westby (USC-W) def. Cassie Mercer (VA) 6-3, 6-4

Doubles
1. #14 Zoe Scandalis/Giuliana Olmos (USC-W) def. #22 Julia Elbaba/Stephanie Nauta (VA) 6-2
2. #11 Cassie Mercer/Skylar Morton (VA) def. Sabrina Santamaria/Meredith Xepoleas (USC-W) 6-4
3. Danielle Collins/Maci Epstein (VA) def. Madison Westby/Gabby Smith (USC-W) 6-2

Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (2,6,1,5,3)
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In the last match of the evening, No. 2 seed Florida needed a third set tiebreaker win by Belinda Woolcock to defeat Clemson 4-3.  After losing the doubles point, Florida also lost four first sets in singles, but Brooke Austin and Josie Kuhlman came back at lines 1 and 2 to win in three sets, with Kourtney Keegan getting the only two-set Gator victory.  Woolcock was up 5-3 in the final set against Tristan Dewar at No. 4, and I believe she was up 5-1 in the tiebreaker before eventually winning 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(6). The recap is here.

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#2 Florida 4, #13 Clemson 3
Feb 6, 2015
Singles
1. #6 Brooke Austin (UF) def. #85 Romy Koelzer (CU) 2-6, 6-1, 6-1
2. #9 Josie Kuhlman (UF) def. Beatrice Gumulya (CU) 4-6, 6-1, 6-4
3. #27 Joana Eidukonyte (CU) def. #11 Brianna Morgan (UF) 6-3, 6-0
4. #43 Belinda Woolcock (UF) def. Tristen Dewar (CU) 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (8-6)
5. Jessy Rompies (CU) def. #40 Peggy Porter (UF) 7-6, 6-3
6. #26 Kourtney Keegan (UF) def. Daniela Ruiz (CU) 6-2, 6-2

Doubles
1. #7 Brooke Austin/Kourtney Keegan (UF) vs. #2 Jessy Rompies/Beatrice Gumulya (CU) 4-5, unfinished
2. Romy Koelzer/Tristen Dewar (CU) def. #17 Josie Kuhlman/Peggy Porter (UF) 6-3
3. Joana Eidukonyte/Daniela Ruiz (CU) def. #25 Belinda Woolcock/Brianna Morgan (UF) 6-2

Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (3,6,1,5,2,4)
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