May 9, 2008
From California Athletic Communications
Berkeley, Calif. - The No. 8 California women's tennis team (17-5, 6-2 Pac-10) put a 4-0 victory in the books today at the Hellman Tennis Complex as they defeated Army (26-8, 5-0 Patriot League) in the first round of the 2008 NCAA Division I Women's Tennis Tournament. The Golden Bears will face the winner of today's 2 p.m. match between No. 27 LSU and No. 42 Washington State in a second round noon match tomorrow (May 10) at Hellman Tennis Complex.
The Bears opened up play with a flurry of doubles victories, clinching the doubles point with ease. No. 12-ranked senior duo of Susie Babos and Stephanie Kusano took care of business against Niki Flach and Anne Houghton with an 8-0 victory before freshman Marina Cossou and junior Claire Ilcinkas sealed the point with an 8-0 win of their own, besting Kristin Beehler and Sarah Giles-Madden. In NCAA play, once points and matches are clinched, the remaining matches are suspended and not recorded as wins and losses.
Cal continued to roll in singles play as Babos helped put the Bears up by a 2-0 count with her 6-0, 6-1 win over Anne Houghton on the top court. Ilcinkas finished second over on court four with a clean 6-0, 6-0 win against Beehler. With both Cossou and Kusano running on 5-0 leads in the second set, it was Kusano who came through with a win, beating Caitlin Finnegan 6-1, 6-0.
The Bears have now advanced to at least the second round of the NCAA Tournament 24th consecutive season. Cal is also 8-1 in dual matches played at the Hellman Tennis Complex and 13-2 this season when it wins the doubles point.
No. 8 California 4, Army 0
May 9, 2008 | Hellman Tennis Center | Berkeley, Calif.
Doubles
1. No. 12 Babos/Kusano, California def. Flach/Houghton, Army 8-0
2. Cossou/Ilcinkas, California def. Beehler/Giles-Madden, Army 8-0
3. No. 54 Bobusic/Visico, California def. Burke/Limsiaco, Army 7-0 DNF
Order of finish: 1, 2* (California wins doubles point)
Singles
1. No. 20 Susie Babos, California def. Anne Houghton, Army 6-0, 6-1
2. No. 4 Marina Cossou, California vs. Niki Flach, Army 6-0, 5-0 DNF
3. No. 35 Cristina Visico, California vs. Sarah Giles-Madden, Army 6-3, 3-0 DNF
4. No. 40 Claire Ilcinkas, California def. Kristin Beehler, Army 6-0, 6-0
5. Stephanie Kusano, California vs. Caitlin Finnegan, Army 6-1, 6-0
6. No. 92 Bojana Bobusic, California vs. Diana Alquero, Army 6-0, 4-1 DNF
Order of finish: 1, 4, 5*
