September 16, 2011

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Niltooli Wilkins and Lucy Dougherty teamed up to knock off the ninth-ranked doubles team in the country and Wilkins picked up a ranked win in singles play as UNCG turned in an impressive effort on the first day of the UVa Fall Invitational.

Wilkins and Dougherty trailed 4-1 early to Virginia's Lindsey Hardenbergh and Erin Vierra in the A Doubles flight but rallied for the 9-7 win in knocking off the No. 9 duo in the ITA Preseason Doubles Rankings.

After falling to UVa's Li Xi – ITA's fifth-ranked freshman/newcomer – in the A Singles flight, Wilkins rebounded with a 6-3, 6-1 win over NC State's Tatiana Illova, who is ranked No. 114 in singles play.

Freshman Stephanie Falcon went 2-0 in the C Singles round robin, picking up a 7-5, 6-1 win over William & Mary's Tori Ford and a 6-0, 6-2 win over UVa's Clare Spooner.

Sophomore Devon Sutherland also split a pair of singles matches, dropping a 6-1, 6-1 decision to Wake Forest's Karen Forman in C Singles before taking a 6-1, 2-6, 6-2 win over NC State's Sophie Nelson.

Dougherty dropped a pair of matches in B Singles, falling to Virginia's Maria Fuccillo and Marshall's Maria Voscekova.

Sutherland and Falcon earned a 9-8 win over unattached Anik Cepeda and Sydney Smith in the B Doubles flight.

Play at the UVa Fall Invitational resumes Saturday at 9 a.m. at the Snyder Tennis Center.

AGATE
UVa Fall Invitational (Sept. 16, 2011)

A Singles
No. 5-fr. Li Xi (Virginia) def. Niltooli Wilkins (UNCG), 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
Niltooli Wilkins (UNCG) def. No. 114 Tatiana Illova (NC State), 6-3, 6-1

B Singles
Maria Fuccillo (Virginia) def. Lucy Dougherty (UNCG), 6-0, 6-0
Maria Voscekova (Marshall) def. Lucy Dougherty (UNCG), 6-0, 6-1

C Singles
Karen Forman (Wake Forest) def. Devon Sutherland (UNCG), 6-1, 6-1
Devon Sutherland (UNCG) def. Sophie Nelson (NC State), 6-1, 2-6, 6-2

C Singles round robin
Stephanie Falcon (UNCG) def. Tori Ford (William & Mary), 7-5, 6-1
Stephanie Falcon (UNCG) def. Clare Spooner (Virginia), 6-0, 6-2

A Doubles
Wilkins/Dougherty (UNCG) def. No. 9 Lindsey Hardenbergh/Erin Vierra (Virginia), 9-7

B Doubles
Sutherland/Falcon (UNCG) def. Anik Cepeda/Sydney Smith (unattached), 9-8.

- UNCG -