Women of Troy gain momentum in qualifying rounds

Last weekend, the women’s tennis team sent four players to the Cal Nike Intercollegiate Tennis Association Invitational, where they earned 12 total victories during singles play.

Junior Cristala Andrews topped the singles competition in flight B. Andrews won five straight matches, including a three-set victory in the championship match against Cal’s Taylor Davis (6-4, 3-6, 6-1). Junior Lyndsay Kinstler also played in Andrew’s flight. Kinstler won her first two matches in straight sets but was defeated in the quarterfinals by Cal’s Kasia Siwosz, the No. 8 seed.

Freshman Valeria Pulido and junior Leyla Entekhabi also participated in the action during singles play in flight A. Entekhabi cruised through the first round of 32, before falling in the second round to Cal’s No. 1 seed. Pulido coasted through the first three rounds before being ousted in the semifinals.

During doubles play, Entekhabi and Kinstler fell early to competition against Saint Mary. Andrews and Pulido also paired up and advanced to the second round but were defeated by top seeds in the quarterfinals.

Back in Los Angeles, another USC freshman, Danielle Lao, began her Trojan career in the prequalifying rounds at UCLA in preparation for the upcoming Riviera/ITA All-American. Lao swept through the competition by winning three straight matches.

This was enough to advance her into this weekend’s qualifying rounds where she will join her two other teammates, senior Sarah Fansler and sophomore Alison Ramos, in the single’s qualifying rounds on Oct. 6 and Oct. 7 at the Riviera Country Club. Fansler will also be paired up with Kinstler, as will Pulido and junior Maria Sanchez for the qualifying rounds of doubles this weekend. Sanchez will begin play on Oct. 8 for the main event.