October 8, 2006

BLACKSBURG, Va. --- Virginia Tech proved to be ungracious hosts at the Hokie Fall Invitational placing five players, including two all-Hokie matches, into the top three flight title matches. Ashley James and Bethan James won the Flight A and C titles respectively in the three-day event which was played at the Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center on the Virginia Tech campus.

In Flight A, Jessica Long (Jr., Elizabethtown, Pa.) defeated Karolina Soor (Marshall), 6-4, 6-4, while A. James (Sr., Williamsburg, Va.) outlasted Laura Gioia (Furman) 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (8), in the other semifinal. James took the title with a solid 6-4, 6-0, win over her teammate.

In Flight B semifinals, Natalie Kretzer (So., Chesterfield, Va.) defeated Whitney Trotter (East Tennessee State), 6-1, 7-5, but Jessica Brouwer (So., Maarsen, Netherlands) lost her semifinal, 6-2, 6-3, to Jessica Keener (Marshall). Kretzer lost to final to Keener, 7-5, 6-2.

Bethan James (Jr., Flintshire, UK), who was celebrating her 20^th birthday, eased past Kelly Will (Washington & Lee), 6-4, 6-4, in her Flight C semi while Mary Kate James (Fr., Williamsburg, Va.) defeated Ginny Wortham (Washington & Lee), 5-7, 6-1, 1-0 (7), in the other semifinal. In the all-Hokie, all-James final, Bethan took the title match, 6-4, 6-2.

Two other Hokies saw action on Sunday in consolation matches. J.J. Larson (Jr., Orchard Park, N.Y) defeated Lauren Osborne (Furman), 4-6, 6-1, 1-0 (5), in Flight A, while Chelsea Cramp (So., Potomac, Md.) defeated Priscilla Jamison (Mary Washington) in a Flight D consolation match, 6-1, 6-0.

Due to the numerous weather delays, the consolation matches in each flight were not completed. For complete results, log on to http://www.hokiesports.com/wtennis/tourney.

The Hokies return to the court on Oct. 20-24, when they travel to Hanover, N.H. to participate in the ITA East Regional.