PACIFIC PALISADES -- An amazing run for Olga Boulytcheva and Lauren Jones at the ITA Women's All-American Championships came to an end Thursday as both Cougars lost in the first round of the main draw.
"The girls played fantastic this week, but I think they just ran out of steam at the end," head coach Craig Manning said. "Too much tennis just got to them. It's not easy to play two tournaments in two weeks."
Although the girls were tired, they still came out ready to play. Boulytcheva played an amazing first set against her opponent Marianna Yuferova from Virginia Commonwealth University, winning 6-3. Boulytcheva was playing so well that at one point Yuferova's coach said there would be nothing Yuferova could do if Boulytcheva continued playing at such a high level. However, the first-set win was all Boulytcheva could pull off. Yuferova came out strong in the second set winning 6-4, and then used her momentum to carry her to a win in the third set 6-2.
Jones had trouble getting through her match as well. She started out slowly, losing the first set to Florida's Boglarka Berecz 6-2. Dropping the first set didn't get Jones down, though, and she played a great second set in which she had several opportunities to win. But fatigue set in, and Jones was unable to close the door on Berecz, losing the set and the match 6-2, 7-5.
"Momentum was starting to swing Lauren's way, but she just couldn't pull it off," Manning said. "Had she won the second set, she'd probably still be in the tournament."
The Cougars now return to Provo looking forward to competing in Regionals, Oct. 19-23 in Salt Lake City.
RESULTS FOR ITA-WOMEN'S
ALL-AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
SINGLES
Qualifiers
10/4/05
Jones def Danela Covello (Baylor) 6-3, 6-2
Jones def Whitney Benk (Florida) 5-7, 6-3, 7-6(3)
Boulytcheva def Ashley Bentley (Alabama) 7-5, 6-3
Boulytcheva def Kathrin Winterhalter (Freson St.) 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-4
10/5/05
Jones def Kim Hartman (Nebraska) 6-2, 7-6(2)
Boulytcheva def Ashley Joelson (UCLA) 6-0, 2-6, 6-3
10/6/05
Main Draw
Marianna Yuferova (VCU) def Boulytcheva 3-6, 6-4, 6-2
Boglarka Berecz (Florida) def Jones 6-2, 7-5
DOUBLES
10/4/05
Lauren Perl/Emma Murphy (USD) def Jones Chang 8-5
CONSOLATION
10/5
DeVera Matias (USC) def Jones/Chang 8-2