Oct. 5, 2008
Photo Gallery | Video: Match Point
PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. – Georgia Tech’s Amanda McDowell and Irina Falconi defeated Fresno State’s Renata Kucerkova and Anastasia Petukhova Sunday to win the doubles championship at the 2008 ITA All-American Doubles Championships at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif.
“It has been a great tournament,” assistant coach Anca Dumitrescu said. “The final was one of the best doubles matches I have ever seen. Fresno State’s team played great but Amanda and Irina were just very confident and were able to get the job done.”
The Yellow Jacket duo, ranked 30th in the preseason ITA national rankings, came from behind to defeat the No. 8 team in the nation from Fresno State, 6-7 (2), 6-3, 6-4. After opening the match with a 5-2 lead, the Jackets were unable to hold the lead before falling in the first set. Fresno State opened up a quick 2-0 lead in the second set but the Tech tandem fought their way back into the match and never looked back.
:”When Fresno State came back in the first set and then we fell behind early in the second, we got a little flustered but we were able to turn it around,” said McDowell, who earned her second straight national title after capturing the 2008 NCAA Singles Championship. “It is just so awesome. We are just so proud of this victory. I am also so happy for Irina. To only be a freshman and now an All-American is a great honor.
“The match was so incredible from both sides. I just want to take in this moment and have fun with it.”
McDowell and Falconi, a qualifying team in the doubles bracket, needed to defeat the nation’s No. 1, No. 3, No. 17, No. 21 and No. 36 teams en route to the championship match.
“This is just so wonderful and hard to believe,” Falconi added. “I am just so stoked. It is a spectacular feeling. I couldn’t hold back the tears when it was all done.”
For the second straight year, Georgia Tech placed a doubles team in the final as Kristi Miller and Whitney McCray were defeated by Caitlin Whoriskey and Zsofia Zubor of Tennessee by a score of 7-5, 6-3 in last year’s All-American final.
The Riviera/ITA All-American Championships is one of three individual national collegiate tennis championships this season. For more information on the 2008 Riviera/ITA All-American Championships and complete tournament brackets, please click here.
The Jackets will continue their fall schedule on Friday, October 24 at the Wilson/ITA South Region Championships, which will be played at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex on the campus of the University of Georgia.
– RamblinWreck.com –
McDowell/Falconi Doubles Results
Doubles Qualifying Draw
(R32) No. 30 McDowell/Falconi (GT) def. No. 26 Bailly/Mizyuk (Nevada), default
(R16) No. 30 McDowell/Falconi (GT) def. No. 21 Marand/Tsang (UNC), 8-3
(QF) No. 30 McDowell/Falconi (GT) def. No. 17 Mijacika/Van Adrichem (Clemson), 8-6
Doubles Main Draw
(R16) No. 30 McDowell/Falconi (GT) def. No. 36 Joelson/Schnack (UCLA), 8-3
(QF) No. 30 McDowell/Falconi (GT) def. No. 1 Gloria/Rowe (Fresno St), 8-3
(SF) No. 30 McDowell/Falconi (GT) def. No. 3 Mang/Granson (Duke), 6-2, 7-5
(F) No. 30 McDowell/Falconi (GT) def. No. 8 Kucerkova/Petukhova (Fresno St), 6-7(2), 6-3, 6-4
