Women's Tennis News Releases

De Gannes/Johnson take second in Flight B Doubles

Ram rewind - Cornell landed a pair of runner-up performances in Flight B events at the Iowa Conference Women's Tennis Individual Tournament, played Oct. 15-17 in Cedar Rapids and Mount Vernon.

Freshman Alyssa Zavislak (Lombard, Ill./Glenbard South) led the Rams in singles competition, placing second in Flight B with a 4-1 mark. Seeded fifth in her bracket, Zavislak rolled to an 8-0 win over top-seeded Jill Berner of Simpson in the quarterfinals and then beat Luther's Carrie Eisele (6-2, 6-3) in the semifinals.

Zavislak's strong run ended with a 6-3, 6-0 loss to Wartburg's Jenny Dallenbach in the championship match. Of Zavislak's three singles losses this fall, three of them were against Dallenbach.

"Alyssa had a good tournament," Cornell head coach Patrick Cote said. "She was consistent throughout the tournament. She's been performing very well."

Cornell also took second in Flight B Doubles with the tandem of freshman Samantha De Gannes (Diego Martin, Trinidad/International School Port of Spain) and sophomore Amanda Johnson (North Branch, Minn./North Branch Area). The unseeded Cornell team reeled off four straight wins before falling 8-3 in the championship bout to Luther's Cassandra Chalhoub and Meghan Williams.

Cornell's Zavislak and freshman Kara Middleton (Wausau, Wis./Wausau West) earned the No. 1 seed in the Flight B Doubles bracket. The duo advanced to the quarterfinals before bowing out to the eventual champions from Luther, 8-5.

Middleton reached the quarterfinals in Flight B Singles. She lost 8-1 to Luther's Abby Landsness.

Senior Caryl Abeyta (Eaton, Colo./Eaton), the Rams' lone returning all-conference player, drew a pair of tough assignments in her final conference tournament. Abeyta fell 6-1, 6-1 to No. 1 seed and eventual champion Kelsie Allen of Luther in the second round of Fight A Singles. She teamed with Kirsten Lasley (St. Paul, Minn./Saddlebrook) in Flight B Doubles, exiting in the quarterfinals against No. 1 seed and eventual champion Andrea Schupbach and Michelle Schupbach of Coe by an 8-3 count.

All-conference honors were awarded to all quarterfinalists in Flight A Singles and all semifinalists in Flight B Doubles.

Fall leaders - The IIAC Individual Tournament marked the end of the fall season for the Rams, who finished 7-10 overall and 2-4 in IIAC dual play.  

Zavislak led the team with a 14-7 mark in singles, playing all but one match at the No. 4 position in the lineup. The Rams had three other players with winning singles records, including Middleton (11-7 at No. 5), Abeyta (10-7 at No. 2) and Lasley (8-7 at No. 3).

In doubles, the combination of De Gannes and Johnson finished with an 8-7 record at the No. 2 and 3 positions. Abeyta and Lasley posted a 7-7 mark at No. 1 doubles. Middleton and Zavislak went 8-10. 

Iowa Conference Individual Championships
Oct. 15-17, Cedar Rapids/Mount Vernon

Flight A Singles
First Round
Caryl Abeyta (Cor) def. Katie Patterson (Lut) 6-2, 2-6, 1-0 (10-6); Alana Humpal (Lut) def. Samantha De Gannes (Cor) 6-1, 6-1; Cami Czech (Lut) def. Kirsten Lasley (Cor) 7-6 (7-5), 6-4.
Second Round
Kelsie Allen (Lut) def. Abeyta (Cor) 6-1, 6-1.

Flight B Singles
First Round
Alyssa Zavislak (Cor) def. Leanna Jenkins (Wart) 8-2; Carrie Eisele (Lut) def. Devin Harmon (Cor) by default; Amanda Johnson (Cor) def. Kady Homewood (Lor) 8-6.
Second Round
Alyssa Zavislak (Cor) def. Natalie Bordignon (Coe) 8-6; Kara Middleton (Cor) def. Annie Whiteley (Lut) 8-4; Jenny Dallenbach (Wart) def. Johnson (Cor) 8-0.
Semifinals
Alyssa Zavislak (Cor) def. Carrie Eisele (Lut) 6-2, 6-3.
Championship Match
Jenny Dallenbach (Wart) def. Alyssa Zavislak (Cor) 6-3, 6-0.

Flight C Singles
First Round
Claire Evans (Wart) def. Kathleen Ellis (Cor) 8-1.

Flight A Doubles
First Round
Abeyta/Lasley (Cor) def. Czech/Allen (Lut) 8-5.
Quarterfinals
Andrea Schupbach/Michelle Schupbach (Coe) def. Abeyta/Lasley (Cor) 8-3.

Flight B Doubles
First Round
De Gannes/Johnson (Cor) def. Homewood/Christie Runde (Lor) 8-1; Abby Landsness/Haley Punke (Lut) def. Harmon/Ellis (Cor) by default.
Second Round
Middleton/Zavislak (Cor) def. Homewood/Runde (Lor) 8-1; De Gannes/Johnson (Cor) def. Whiteley/Reutlinger (Lut) 8-5.
Quarterfinals
Meghan Williams/Cassandra Chalhoub (Lut) def. Middleton/Zavislak (Cor) 8-5; De Gannes/Johnson (Cor) def. Katherine Mack/Sarah Dickhut (Lor) 8-4.
Semifinals
De Gannes/Johnson (Cor) def. Landsness/Punke 8-3.
Championship Match
Chalhoub/Williams (Lut) def. Johnson/De Gannes (Cor) 8-3.