Trojan pair tops a UCLA duo in today's semifinals at Riviera Tennis Club.

Univ. of Southern California Team Page

PACIFIC PALISADES, CALIF. - USC's power couple Kaitlyn Christian and Sabrina Santamaria stayed on task today in the doubles semifinals at the Riviera/ITA Women's All-American Championships as the Trojan duo took down a pair of Bruins to punch a ticket to tomorrow's title match. On the singles side, USC's Zoë Scandalis and Danielle Lao fell in today's semifinal round.

Top-ranked Christian/Santamaria had some fuel to their fire in knowing they were up against a powerful pair from rival UCLA. No. 4-seeded Bruins Anderson/Morton were unable to match the Trojan strength in today's semifinals, as Christian/Santamaria got out ahead with a 6-2 win in the first set and finished it all off with a 6-2, 6-2 final. That launches the Trojan team into tomorrow's championships match, where they aim to add an ITA All-American title to their 2011 ITA National Indoor and 2012 Pac-12 Doubles championships.

In the singles scene, Scandalis was up against Virginia newcomer Julia Elbaba, a qualifier who opened the main draw by upsetting the tournament's top seed. Elbaba's strength continued as she pulled out a 6-4, 7-6 (4) win over No. 4 seeded Scandalis in today's semifinals. USC's No. 8 seeded senior Lao was next to take the singles courts for semifinal play today, squaring off against No. 3 seed Lauren Embree of Florida. Another battle ensued there, but Embree held on as the higher seed and notched a 6-2, 7-5 win over Lao to end the USC senior's valiant semifinal run in the main draw.
Riviera/ITA Women's All-American Championships (Pacific Palisades, Calif.)

MAIN DRAW SINGLES (Riviera Tennis Club)
First Round - Oct. 4
#7 [4] Zoë Scandalis (USC) def. Ema Burgic (BAY) -- 6-1, 6-1
#8 [5] Sabrina Santamaria (USC) def. #24 Lauren McHale (UNC) -- 6-1, 6-1
#11 [8] Danielle Lao (USC) def. #12 Kate Turvy (NW) -- 6-3, 6-3

Round of 16 - Oct. 5
#7 [4] Zoë Scandalis (USC) def. #96 Nicole Bartnik (COL) -- 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
#18 Brynn Boren (TENN) def. #8 [5] Sabrina Santamaria (USC) -- 6-7 (4), 6-1, 6-3
#11 [8] Danielle Lao (USC) def. Ecaterina Vasenina (USF) -- 5-2 ret. (inj.)

Quarterfinals - Oct. 5
#7 [4] Zoë Scandalis (USC) def. Krista Hardebeck (STAN) -- 5-7, 6-2, 7-6(0)
#11 [8] Danielle Lao (USC) def. Maho Kowase (UGA) -- 6-2, 6-3

Semifinals - Oct. 6
Julia Elbaba (UVA) def. #7 [4] Zoë Scandalis (USC) - 6-4, 7-6 (4)
[3] Lauren Embree (FLA) def. #11 [8] Danielle Lao (USC) - 6-2, 7-5

MAIN DRAW DOUBLES (Riviera Tennis Club)
Round of 32 - Oct. 4
#1 [1] Christian/Santamaria (USC) -- bye
Guarachi/Macfarlane (ALA) def. DeSimone/Scandalis (USC) -- 8-2

Round of 16 - Oct. 4
#1 [1] Christian/Santamaria (USC) def. #14 Narattana/Rose (OKST) -- 8-4

Quarterfinals - Oct. 5
#1 [1] Christian/Santamaria (USC) def. Kopinski/White (ILL) -- 8-4

Semifinals - Oct. 5
#1 [1] Christian/Santamaria (USC) def. [4] Anderson/Morton (UCLA) - 6-2, 6-2

Championship - Oct. 6
#1 [1] Christian/Santamaria (USC) vs. Capra/Mar (Duke) OR Boren/Szekely (TENN)

MAIN DRAW CONSOLATION MATCHES
Burgic/Sanford (BAY) def. DeSimone/Scandalis (USC) -- 8-2

PREQUALIFYING SINGLES (Westwood, Calif.)
First Round - Sept. 29
Gabriella DeSimone (USC) def. #120 Julia Fellerhoff (Louisville) -- 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-4
Second Round - Sept. 29
Gabriella DeSimone (USC) def. Michaela Bezdickova (New Mexico) -- 1-6, 6-1, 6-2
Third Round - Sept. 30
Gabriella DeSimone (USC) def. Daneika Borthwick (Florida State) -- 6-2, 6-2

QUALIFYING SINGLES (Riviera Tennis Club)
First Round - Oct. 2
#37 [12] Maho Kowase (UGA) def. Gabriella DeSimone (USC) -- 6-1, 6-2
Kaitlyn Christian (USC) def. Nives Pavlovic (UNLV) -- 6-3, 6-2
Second Round - Oct. 2
#85 Elizabeth Epstein (YALE) def. Kaitlyn Christian (USC) -- 6-3, 6-2

QUALIFYING DOUBLES (Riviera Tennis Club)
First Round - Oct. 2
DeSimone/Scandalis (USC) def. Jones/Stephens (OLE) -- 8-2
#28 [7] Bonacic/Niedermayerova (KSt) def. Lao/Pulido (USC) -- 8-1
Second Round - Oct. 3
DeSimone/Scandalis (USC) def. #30 Fuller/Herring (UGA) -- 8-3
Third Round - Oct. 3
DeSimone/Scandalis (USC) def. #41 Nauta/Xi (UVA) -- 8-6

QUALIFYING CONSOLATION MATCHES
Lao/Pulido (USC) def. Bergner/Rath (DU) -- 8-1
#44 Mary Clayton (Duke) def. Gabriella DeSimone (USC) -- 6-2, 6-0