October 2, 2005

BLACKSBURG, Va. -- Freshman Inga Beermann had a successful debut in the Hokie Fall Invitational taking both the Flight A singles title and, along with partner J.J. Larson, the Flight A doubles crown. The Tech women dominated the tournament taking Flight A and B singles titles as well as both of the doubles brackets. The event was played at the Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center on the Virginia Tech campus and featured players from Appalachian State, Davidson, East Tennessee State, Elon, Hampton, James Madison, Radford, Winthrop and the host Hokies.

The 17-year old Beermann (Fr., Bad Salzuflen, Germany) defeated teammate Anat Elazari (Sr., Tiberias, Israel), the defending tournament champion, 6-3, 6-3 in the championship match and later teamed with Larson (So., Orchard Park, N.Y.) to win the doubles with a 8-6 victory over Kelsey Linville/Kim Whelan (Davidson). Also in Flight A, Ashley James (Jr., Williamsburg, Va.) captured third-place with a come-from-behind, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2, win over Paula Takahashi (Winthrop).

Flight B featured another all-Hokie final as Jessica Long (So., Elizabethtown, Pa.) defeated Larson, 6-2, 6-2. Abbey Walker (Fr., Lancaster, S.C.) won the Flight B fifth-place match against Elena Besedova (Hampton), 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 while Jessica Brouwer (Fr., Maarseen, Netherlands) lost a tough, 5-7, 6-2, 6-3, Flight C final to Lora Dushanova (Davidson). In other results, Julia Facchina (So., Glenwood, Md.) lost her Flight C consolation final, 7-5, 6-4, against Melissa Holland and Chelsea Cramp (Fr., Potomac, Md.) lost the Flight D title match, 6-2, 7-5, versus Viviana Costa (Hampton). Also in Flight D, Laurie Calzadilla (So., San Juan, Puerto Rico) won the consolation final with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Cassandra Price (Radford).

Tech opened the day successfully in doubles as, in addition to the Beerman/Larson victory, Elazari/Long captured the Flight A fifth-place with an 8-1 win over Sandie Knight/Elena Volobueva (East Tennessee State). In the consolation round of Flight A, Ashley James/Walker defeated Lyndsey Free/Anja Gugger (Appalachian State), 8-3.

In Flight B doubles, Brouwer/Bethan James (So., Flintshire, UK) captured the title with a 8-2 win against the combo team of Viviane Costa (Hampton)/Emily Wilkinson (Davidson). Cramp/Natalie Kretzer (Fr., Chesterfield, Va.) won the seventh-place match, 8-4, against Ashton Downs/Cassandra Price (Radford). Calzadilla/Facchina lost their fifth-place match, 8-5, versus C. Downs/Noldin.

The Hokies return to action Oct. 14-16 when they travel to Norfolk, Va. to participate in the Hampton Roads Invitational.