Venter Wins Flight A at Fall Invite

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Lady Raider Carien Venter picked up two victories Sunday to win Flight A singles on the final day of the Middle Tennessee Women's Fall Invitational at the Buck Bouldin Tennis Center.

Venter defeated Monica Gonzalez-Gordo of Memphis, 0-6, 6-3 (10-5) Saturday to advance to the semifinals. The senior then took a 7-6 (6), 6-0 decision over Florencia Basile of Ole Miss in the semis before defeating another Lady Rebel in the finals, Sabrina Peppl, 6-1, 0-6 (10-5).

Other Lady Raiders in the tournament included sophomore Emily Vest, who won her first-round match Friday but fell 2-6, 2-6 on Saturday to Ball State's Jenny Batty.

Junior transfer Laura McNamara did not play Friday due to the rain and lost her opening match of the tournament on Saturday to Ball State's Jill Wieman, 5-7, 3-6. But McNamara rebounded and won three straight matches Sunday in the consolation bracket, defeating Jacksonville State's Heather Miller, 7-5, 6-2, then Cincinnati's Samantha Liu, 6-2, 7-5, and Jacksonville State's Michelle Dushner, 7-6 (3), 6-4.

In doubles action, Venter and McNamara won their opening round match Friday but fell in the second round to Cincinnati's Lyndsey Molony and Khuschehr Italia, 4-8. Vest played with Basile of Ole Miss, and the twosome won their opening match Friday and then again in the second round on Saturday, 8-0, over Austin Peay's Avana Carere and Kelli Bridges. Vest and Basile took an 8-3 win over UAB's Yvonne Ernst and Nadia Dellarciprete in the semifinals before falling to Sumitra Rao and Marlene Dirnstorfer, 6-8, in the finals.

The Lady Raiders continue fall action next weekend in Nashville, Tenn., at the Vanderbilt-hosted June Stewart Invitational.

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