Long Beach State University
UNLV Invitational
Hayley Thompson Highlights 49er Efforts On Opening Day
9/25/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Las Vegas, Nev. - Junior Hayley Thompson rallied from a one-set deficit to advance to the semifinals of her draw at the UNLV Invitational, the first fall tournament of the season for the Beach. Fellow junior Laura Eales also grabbed two wins in the opening day of action in Vegas.
Thompson's 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 win over Mississippi's Allie Sanford was the highlight of the day in singles, as the junior advanced to the semifinals of the second flight, where she will face Paola Artiga of the hosts, UNLV.
Maeva Razakasoa suffered an upset in the top flight of singles, falling 6-3, 6-4 to South Alabama's Alexandria Stiteler, while Ebba Unden was defeated 6-2, 6-2 by UNLV's Aiwen Zhu. The 49ers also suffered a loss in the second flight, as Mississippi's Zalina Khairudinova won 6-4, 6-2 over Julie Gerard.
In the busiest flight for the Beach, Eales started off the Beach with a 6-4, 6-7, 6-3 win over Paula Sanchez, but the two newcomers for LBSU both lost. Eirene Granville of NAU won 6-2, 6-4 over freshman Georgie Sanders, while transfer Antonella Santeusanio was beaten by UNLV's Mercedes Lopez.
In the top flight of doubles, Stiteler got the better of Razakasoa once more, as Stietler/Mesarosova won 8-3 over Razakasoa and Gerard. The other match featured Thompson/Unden falling in a hard-fought match 8-7 against Khairudinova/Sanford of Ole Miss.
In the second flight, Eales/Santeusanio dropped Hollosy/Granville of Northern Arizona 8-6 in the first match of the year for the duo.
All seven players will be back in action tomorrow beginning at 11 a.m. in the second of three days at the UNLV Invitational.
Flight 1 Singles
Alexandria Stiteler (USA) def. No. 100 Maeva Razakasoa (LBSU), 6-3, 6-4
Aiwen Zhu (UNLV) def. Ebba Unden (LBSU) 6-2, 6-2
Flight 2 Singles
Zalina Khairudinova (UM) def. Julie Gerard (LBSU) 6-4, 6-2
Hayley Thompson (LBSU) def. Allie Sanford (UM) 2-6, 6-3, 6-2
Flight 3 Singles
Eirene Granville (NAU) def. Georgie Sanders (LBSU), 6-2, 6-4
Mercedes Lopez (UNLV) def. Antonella Santeusanio (LBSU), 6-2, 6-3
Laura Eales (LBSU) def. Paula Sanchez, (USA) 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-3
Flight 1 Doubles
Stiteler/Meszarosova (USA) def. Razakasoa/Gerard (LBSU), 8-3
Khairudinova/Sanford (UM) def. Thompson/Unden (LBSU) 8-7 (5)
Flight 2 Doubles
Eales/Sanetusanio, (LBSU) def. Hollosy/Granville (NAU) 8-6
Players Mentioned
