Siljestrom, Adams, Kommireddi All Advance to Quarterfinals

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee's Ann-Kristin Siljestrom, Kelly Adams and Pooja Kommireddi all advanced to the quarterfinals, and both doubles teams won their opening matches, Friday at the UTC Baras Fall Classic at the Champions Club in Chattanooga, Tenn.

The Blue Raiders won a total of six singles matches on the day and the two doubles tilts, all-in-all a very good opening day for first-year head coach Alison Ojeda.

"It was really a great day for our team. All of our girls executed the things we've been practicing and it really paid off," Ojeda said. "We couldn't have asked for anything more, though it was a very long day on the courts."

Marlene Chemin got the ball rolling during her 8:30 a.m. ET Flight B match against Christina Wieser of Memphis, with Chemin taking a 6-1, 4-6, 6-2, decision. The freshman then picked up the only loss of the day for the team, dropping a 2-6, 2-6, tally to Tennessee Tech's top-seeded Alet Boonzaaier.

Also in Flight B, Adams won easily, 6-0, 6-2, over Alabama-Huntsville's Ashley Perry, before fighting throughout her second-round victory over Tennessee Tech's Kay Ngiam, with Adams winning, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2. Adams will play Kristin Noble of Memphis at 10 a.m. ET Saturday in the quarterfinals.

"Kelly played almost perfectly. She really kept the ball in play and worked very hard throughout the match," Ojeda said. "She was just one example of the hard work put in by our team over the last three weeks."

In Flight C, Kommireddi won 6-3, 6-2, over Chattanooga's Samantha Duggan. The freshman then dismantled UT Martin's Vikki Cann, 6-2, 6-1, and will take on Lipscomb's Casey Hall at 11:30 a.m. ET Saturday in the quarterfinals.

Ojeda's best returning player, Siljestrom, drew a first-round bye in Flight A and was a little sluggish to start her second-round match against Murray State's Rachael Lask. But the Blue Raider sophomore came roaring back to take a 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, decision. She now faces Chattanooga's Lindsey Ballard at 8:30 a.m. in the quarters on Saturday.

Claudia Szabo was scheduled to play in Flight A with Siljestrom, but Szabo withdrew because of soreness in her left shoulder. She did, however, team with Siljestrom in doubles to defeat Tennessee Tech's Margot Carter and Ngiam, 8-4. The duo now faces Murray State's third-seeded Ann and Rachael Lask Saturday at 5 p.m. ET in the quarterfinals.

Adams and Chemin won 8-0 over Alabama-Huntsville's Kylie Realmuto and Emily Taylor on Friday night, and will play against an undetermined opponent Saturday at 5:30 p.m.

Full results may be accessed at http://tournaments.usta.com/tournaments/Draws/EventDraw.aspx?T=36813.