By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA – Freshman Hailey Grillo posted a singles win while the USF women's tennis team won four out of six doubles matches Friday at the season-opening Bulldog Classic in Athens, Ga.
Grillo, from Fort Myers, Fla., got tough in her first collegiate set before cruising to a 7-5, 6-0 victory over Old Dominion's Faith Atiso in the Flight 7 at Georgia's Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
Freshman Olaya Garrido-Rivas also stepped up in her collegiate debut by teaming up with senior Fanny Fracassi to post two doubles wins in Flight 3. The duo handled Old Dominion's Melissa Esnal Olguin and Nika Khmolovska, 8-2, before handing NC State's Sophie Nelson and Christy Sipes an 8-1 loss.
Seniors Kayla Rizzolo and Loreto Alonso-Martinez gave USF two more doubles wins and proved they could handle the pressure in the process. The pair opened with an 8-3 win over Old Dominion opponents before outlasting NC State's Elisha Hande and Nicole Martinez, 9-7, in Flight 1.
The three-day tournament continues Saturday at 8 a.m. Head back to GoUSFBulls.com on Saturday evening for a full report with results.
Doubles Flight 1
Kayla Rizzolo/Loreto Alonso-Martinez (USF) def. Nikol Hristova/Aleksandra Mitrovska (ODU), 8-3
Kayla Rizzolo/Loreto Alonso-Martinez (USF) def. Elisha Hande/Nicole Martinez (NCSU), 9-7
Doubles Flight 2
Ingrid Vojcinakova/Marijana Novakovic (ODU) def. Vera Bessonova/Olga Martinez (USF), 8-6
Joelle Kissell/Liza Fieldsend (NCSU) def. Vera Bessonova/Olga Martinez (USF), 8-5
Doubles Flight 3
Olaya Garrido-Rivas/Fanny Fracassi (USF) def. Melissa Esnal Olguin/Nika Khmolovska (ODU), 8-2
Olaya Garrido-Rivas/Fanny Fracassi (USF) def. Sophie Nelson/Christy Sipes (NCSU), 8-1
Singles Flight 1
#3 Lauren Herring (UGA) def. Kayla Rizzolo (USF), 6-1, 6-2
Singles Flight 2
#14 Maho Kowase (UGA) def. Loreto Alonso-Martinez (USF), 6-1, 6-2
Singles Flight 3
#60 Silvia Garcia (UGA) def. Fanny Fracassi (USF), 6-2, 6-1
Singles Flight 4
#101 Kate Fuller (UGA) def. Olaya Garrido-Rivas (USF), 6-3, 6-3
Singles Flight 5
Mia King (UGA) def. Olga Martinez (USF), 6-2, 6-2
Singles Flight 6
Lilly Kimbell (UGA) def. Vera Bessonoa (USF), 6-2, 6-2
Singles Flight 7
Hailey Grillo (USF) def. Faith Atiso (ODU), 7-5, 6-0
