Louisa Hall Reaches Main Draw
Feb 2, 2005, by Vassar Squash, Reported to SquashTalk,
SquashTalk Independent News Service © 2005 all Rights Reserved;

Lily Lorentzen falls short but Louisa Hall Advances    [Main Draw]

Hall looked strong and qualified in Poughkeepsie Today (Photo © 2005 by Stockton Photo Inc)

Fast paced action, great shot making, and some controversy thrown in for good measure was the recipe for the four qualification matches on day two of the WISPA Vassar Tournament.

8 Women Started, 4 Women Advanced
Day two saw the conclusion of the qualifying bracket. When the dust had settled, four players had earned the right to enter the main draw.

Katie Patrick (Canada) defeated Lily Lorentzen (USA) 3-0 (9-3, 9-0, 9-3).

Manuela Manetta qualified in Poughkeepsie (Photo © 2005 by Stockton Photo Inc)

The scores suggest a straightforward win, but it was anything like smooth sailing for Katie Patrick. Though in control, the former UPenn player had to work hard against Lorentzen who chased everything down. Patrick's short game is improving steadily, and it paid dividends against a hard working opponent.

Louisa Hall (USA) defeated Tara Mullins (Aust) 3-0 (9-3, 9-1, 9-2).
In the second match of the day, it was yet again a case of hard fought rallies. Louisa Hall, coming off a solid win the day before, was brimming with confidence. This was something of a contrast to Tara Mullins, who seemed just a little flat and out of sorts. Hall powered her way past the Australian to earn a last 16 slot.

Manuela Manetta (Ita) defeated Jana Smeralova (Czech Rep) 3-1 (9-6, 9-1, 5-9, 9-5).

Katie Patrick - too experienced for Lily Lorentzen (Photo © 2005 by Stockton Photo Inc)

In what appeared to be a very evenly matched draw, it was the unforced errors of Jana Smeralova that proved her undoing. The Italian, Manetta, took the pace of the ball and used some very deft drop shots to pressure her opponent. The match looked like it might go to 5 when Smeralova won the third 9-5. But Manetta got back to her winning formula in the fourth.

Suzie Pierrepont (Eng) defeated Marnie Baizley (Canada) 3-1 (9-2, 4-9, 9-5, 10-9).
This match fizzed and buzzed right form the get-go! There were some dogged rallies and plenty of powerful strokes as the English woman and Canadian went hammer and tongs at each other. It all seemed to come to a head in the nip and tuck fourth set. The players traded point for point and there were number of close let calls. Pierrepont argued strongly with the referee but to no avail. It seemed to motivate her, and in the end she prevailed. But it was not before Baizley had stretched her to the limit.

Suzie Pierrepont kept things fizzing in her match with Canadian Marnie Baizley (Photo © 2005 by Stockton Photo Inc)

Play continues Thursday from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Vassar's Kenyon Hall

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