Oct. 7, 2006
WACO, Tex. – Georgia Tech tennis players Amanda Craddock, Whitney McCray, McDowell and Christy Striplin combined to sweep 10 of 10 matches on the first day of the Rice Invitational, which is being played at the Jake Hess Tennis Stadium on the campus of Rice University.
Each player won two singles matches and one doubles match on the first day of competition, with Tech dropping just one of 17 sets in singles play.
Rookies Amanda McDowell and Amanda Craddock opened play in the Blue Draw, with McDowell stopping Baylor’s Zuzana Chmelarova, 6-2, 7-5, and winning a 7-5, 6-2 match over Rice’s Julie Chao in the second round. Craddock defeated Lee’s Kalei Gora, 6-1, 6-1, and then downed Christine Dao of Rice, 6-3, 6-1 to advance to Saturday afternoon’s third-round match.
Sophomore Christy Striplin and junior Whitney McCray began in the Gray Draw, with both players earning two victories on the first day as well. Striplin blanked UTSA’s Monika Drabkova, 6-0, 6-0 before battling for a 6-7, 6-1, 6-2 victory over Illinois’ Momei Qu in the second round. McCray dropped just one game en route to a 6-1, 6-0 win over Prairie View A&M’s Melissa Guerrier before dropping Illinois’ Alejandra Mezcuadra, 6-1, 6-2 to advance to Saturday afternoon’s third round.
The Jackets also combined to win 16 of 18 games in doubles, with McCray and Craddock teaming for an 8-0 win over UTSA’s combo of Kukla and Wallin while Striplin and McDowell teamed together for an 8-2 victory over Illinois’ Qu and Minor.
Rice Invitational Results
Singles
(R1) Amanda McDowell (GT) def. Zuzana Chmelarova (BU), 6-2, 7-5
(R1) Amanda Craddock (GT) def. Kalei Gora (Lee), 6-1, 6-1
(R1) Whitney McCray (GT) def. Melissa Guerrier (PVAM), 6-1, 6-0
(R1) Christy Striplin (GT) def. Monika Drabkova (UTSA), 6-0, 6-0
(R2) McDowell (GT) def. Julie Chao (Rice), 7-5, 6-2
(R2) Craddock (GT) def. Christine Dao (Rice), 6-3, 6-1
(R2) McCray (GT) def. Alejandra Mezcuadra (UI), 6-1, 6-2
(R2) Striplin (GT) def. Momei Qu (UI), 6-7, 6-1, 6-2
Doubles
(R1) McCray/Craddock (GT) def. Kukla/Wallin (UTSA), 8-0
(R1) Striplin/McDowell (GT) def. Qu/Minor (UI), 8-2
