College Tennis News - No. 17 Women's Tennis Defeats Ole Miss, Advances to NCAA Second Round

ATLANTA, Ga.—The No. 17 Arizona State women’s tennis team (15-6) advances to the second round of the NCAA women’s tennis Championship with a 4-3 victory over the University of Mississippi on Saturday in Atlanta, Ga.

The Sun Devils started off the match winning the doubles point with victories by the 25th-ranked doubles team of Micaela Hein and Kelcy McKenna and the new pairing of Michelle Brycki and Hannah James. The senior due of Hein/McKenna defeated Boxx/Guthrie in a tough fought match-up 8-6. Filling in for freshman Jacqueline Cako, James partnered with Brycki to easily take the third doubles spot with an 8-2 victory over Vogel/Rohde-Moe.

“I thought the kids played well,” said head coach Sheila McInerney. “We haven’t played a dual match in over a month. I thought we battled. It came down to the last match. It was a long, exhausting match and we’re certainly happy to get through it.”

The deciding point of the match rested square on the shoulders of freshman Jacqueline Cako. In her first match back in the line-up in over a month, Cako took the final point of the match on a service ace to secure the victory for the Sun Devils. The 12th-ranked freshman defeated Connor Vogel, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.

In singles play, Hein was the first off the court with a 6-4, 6-3 dispatching of Caroline Rohde-Moe. Junior Sianna Simmons also got the victory in the sixth spot with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Vivian Vlaar.

The Sun Devils will face host Georgia Tech tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET for a spot in the round of 16.

“We have a lot of respect for Georgia Tech,” said McInerney. “We’re going to have to play well tomorrow to come out on top, but our kids feel good about it, particularly when you get through a match like this. We’ve been pretty competitive in every match this season and I expect a knock down, drag out match tomorrow.”

#17 Arizona State 4, #40 Mississippi 3
May 14, 2011 at Atlanta, Ga.
Singles competition

1. #34 Kristi Boxx (MISS) def. #19 Kelcy McKenna (ASU) 6-2, 4-6, 6-3
2. #12 Jacqueline Cako (ASU) def. Connor Vogel (MISS) 3-6, 6-3, 7-5
3. #70 Micaela Hein (ASU) def. #110 Caroline Rohde-Moe (MISS) 6-4, 6-3
4. Laura van de Stroet (MISS) def. Hannah James (ASU) 1-6, 6-3, 6-3
5. Abby Guthrie (MISS) def. Michelle Brycki (ASU) 7-5, 6-3
6. Sianna Simmons (ASU) def. Vivian Vlaar (MISS) 6-4, 6-4

Doubles competition

1. #25 Micaela Hein/Kelcy McKenna (ASU) def. Kristi Boxx/Abby Guthrie (MISS) 8-6
2. Gabby Rangel/Laura van de Stroet (MISS) def. #67 Ashlee Brown/Sianna Simmons (ASU) 8-2
3. Michelle Brycki/Hannah James (ASU) def. Connor Vogel/Caroline Rohde-Moe (MISS) 8-2