Sunday, 09/16/2012

UT senior All-American Aeriel Ellis and sophomore Noel Scott win in straight sets to advance to Saturday’s quarterfinals.

CARY, N.C. – Texas senior All-American Aeriel Ellis and sophomore Noel Scott won their opening-round singles matches in straight sets to earn quarterfinal berths in their respective draws Friday at the Duke Invitational. 

The 20th-ranked Ellis made short work of Illinois’ Rachael White and posted a 6-3, 6-1 victory in the “Black” singles draw.  The two-time All-American will take on North Carolina’s Gina Suarez-Malaguti in Saturday’s quarterfinals.

A mainstay in the dual-match singles lineup a year ago, Scott opened the 2012 fall season with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Maria Belaya of William & Mary in the “White” singles draw.  Scott will meet Duke’s Marianne Jodoin in Saturday’s quarterfinals. 

Ellis and Scott also teamed up for an 8-3 doubles win over North Carolina’s Zoe DeBruyker and Tessa Lyons in the consolation round of the “White” doubles bracket. 

Duke Invitational – Day 1 Texas Results
Singles
Aeriel Ellis (UT) def. Rachael White (Illinois) – 6-3, 6-1
Noel Scott (UT) def. Maria Belaya (W&M) – 6-2, 6-2
Erin Stephens (Ole Miss) def. Elizabeth Begley (UT) – 6-1, 6-1
Blair Seideman (Yale) def. Juliana Gajic (UT) – 6-1, 6-3
Melissa Kopinski (Illinois) def. Annat Rabinovich (UT) – 6-0, 6-2

Doubles
Rachael White/Melissa Kopinski (Illinois) def. Aeriel Ellis/Noel Scott (UT) – 8-4
Aeriel Ellis/Noel Scott (UT) def. Zoe DeBruyker/Tessa Lyons (UNC) – 8-3
Lina Lileikite/Melissa Bolivar (Miami) def. Elizabeth Begley/Juliana Gajic (UT) – 8-1
Lynda Xepolas/Daniela Vidal (Purdue) def. Elizabeth Begley/Juliana Gajic (UT) – 8-2