Martzolf wins second straight event
By Matt Gallagher
Contributing Reporter

The Demon Deacon women’s tennis team was feeling nothing but love after its play at the Virginia Tech Invitational, held Sept. 28-30. Freshman Katie Martzolf captured the Flight A Consolation championship, while the tandem of Martzolf and sophomore Aimee Smith settled for silver in the doubles bracket.

After Martzolf lost her first match to Ines Khelifi of Virginia Tech, she roared through the consolation bracket unscathed.

After discarding Marshall’s Danielle Hock in the semifinals with a score of 6-3,6-2, Martzolf hoisted the championship trophy when Campell’s Alexi Erb defaulted the final match. The title was Martzolf’s second career singles titles in as many tries.

Martzolf, is taking her early success in stride.

“It’s nice and a good start for the year,” Martzolf said, “but I really just want to help out the team and become a better tennis player.”

Meanwhile, after coasting through the doubles bracket of the tournament for the better part of three days, the duo of Martzolf and Smith were finally brought down in the finals by a doubles team from Hampton, 9-7.

Smith also advanced to the quarterfinals in the Flight A Consolation singles bracket, losing to Teodora Doncheva of Campbell 6-7, 1-6. Sophomore Elizabeth Proctor and freshman Catherine Sutej also played well at the Virginia Tech Invitational as a doubles team, and Proctor saw additional action in the singles bracket.

There were some notable people missing from the Lady Deacs at the Virginia Tech tourney. Junior Bea Bielik and seniors Janet Bergman and Maren Haus are all training for the upcoming ITA Riviera All-American Championships, which are being held in Pacific Palisades, Calif. ,from Oct. 9-14.

Bielik, the No. 1 singles player in the country, and Bergman, ranked 13th, are entered into the main draw in both singles competition and doubles play, where they combine to form the No. 2-ranked duo in the nation.

Head Coach Brian Fleishman has said that he expects the Bergman/Bielik tandem to win the NCAA Doubles Championship.

Meanwhile, Haus, the No. 43-ranked singles player, is entered into the qualifying rounds for the singles bracket.

After the All-Americas, the Lady Deacons won’t play again until the ITA Southeast Regional, held Oct. 25-29, held here in Winston-Salem in the Indoor Tennis Center.