May 9, 2008

Tournament Photo Gallery

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- The Marist women's tennis team fell 4-0 to the Southern California Trojans on Friday night in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Marks Stadium. Cassie Strange (Valencia, Calif.) won three games in her suspended second singles match with Lindsey Nelson.

Amanda Fink and Gabriela Niculescu beat Cassie Strange were able to tie the score at 1-1 before falling behind 6-1 in their suspended second doubles match. Their match was stopped when Cristala Andrews and Maria Sanchez defeated Natalie Fouché 8-0 to clinch the doubles point.

In both doubles and singles, when the point or match was clinched, all matches in progress were halted.

In first singles Fink was leading 6-1, 4-1 over Godly prior to the match being stopped.

Lindsey Nelson was victorious in second singles over Cassie Strange, but Strange fought hard throughout and was tied 3-3 in the first set before Nelson took over and won 6-3. Nelson was up 1-0 when their match was stopped.

Niculescu beat Alexa Strange 6-0, 6-0 in third singles, and Sarah Fansler defeated Colon by the same score in fourth singles. In fifth singles, Maria Sanchez defeated Zampello 6-0 in the first set and was ahead 4-0 in the second set, and Entekhabi and beat Fouché 6-1, 6-1.

Fink, Nelson, and Niculescu are all playing in the NCAA individual tournament following the team championships in Tulsa, Okla.

This was the second straight appearance for Marist in the NCAA's and they have not lost a MAAC match, postseason or regular season, in two years.

USC will take on Pepperdine in the second round of the tournament tomorrow afternoon.