Oct. 23, 2003
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue women's tennis players Brittany Reitz and Alyssa Rodriguez both won two qualifying matches at the ITA Midwest Championships in Kalamazoo, Mich., on Thursday.
Reitz, a sophomore, defeated Alejandra Blanco 6-0, 6-1 in the first round, then came back from a set down to beat Kristen Clary of Xavier 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 in the second. Reitz will play Notre Dame's Christian Thompson on Friday.
Rodriguez beat Ohio State's Meredith Vincent 6-2, 6-2 in the first round, then held off Iowa's Hilary Tyler in the second, with a 6-1, 7-6 (3) decision. Rodriguez will face Western Michigan's Carrie Jeanmarie on Friday.
Both Reitz and Rodriguez are one victory away from gaining entry into the main singles draw. Eight players out of 64 in the qualifying draw will advance to the 64-player main draw.
Four Boilermakers already are waiting in the main draw: senior Gretchen Haynor, juniors Amy Walgenbach and Shawna Zuccarini, and freshman Hala Sufi will begin play Saturday.
Haynor and Sufi also will be playing in the main doubles draw, which will begin Friday.
Champions from all eight regional tournaments being played across the country will gain berths into the ITA National Indoor Championships, which will be played in Ann Arbor, Mich., from Nov. 6 to 8.
Complete results from the ITA Midwest Championships can be found at www.wmubroncos.com.
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