Sept. 14, 2012
MIDLAND, Texas - Four players from the Penn State women's tennis team began their fall season in the Racquet Club of Midland Invitational today. After one day the Nittany Lions have one through to the third round of the singles competition, two on to the second round of the consolation singles bracket as well as one duo still competing in the doubles competition.
Senior Petra Januskova led the Nittany Lions winning both of her singles matches. She defeated Elizabeth Thoms of Texas Arlington, 6-4, 6-1 before ousting Texas State's Jessica Kahts, 6-2, 6-4 in the second round.
Carmen Sandor, Katherine Whiteaway and Devan McCluskey all lost their first round matches and began play in the consolation brackets soon after. Devan defeated Nebraska's Lauren Wagner in come from behind fashion, 2-6, 6-2, 10-2. After losing the first set in the backdraw, McCluskey came back to win the next two including the super breaker to move on to the next round of consolations.
Carmen also won her first round of consolations defeating Abilene Christian's Britney Reed, 6-3, 6-3. In Katherine's first consolation match, UT Arlington's Elizabeth Thoms, who lost to Januskova in the first round, bested her 6-3, 6-2.
In the doubles bracket Januskova and McCluskey defeated Nataly Yoo and Kateryna Bugayenko from Stephen F. Austin, 8-4. In other doubles action Sandor and Whiteaway were knocked out by Millie Nichols and Olivia Smith of TCU, 8-3.
Action continues tomorrow at 9 a.m. with singles play. Petra will look to stay unbeaten in her third round match of singles play while Devan and Carmen aim to continue on in the consolations. Petra and Devan will also be competing in doubles play later in the day.