CARY, N.C. — One down, two to go.
Taking her first step towards earning a postseason berth, Pepperdine women's tennis senior Savannah Broadus beat Auburn fifth-year #57 Ava Hrastar 6-2, 6-3 at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-American Championships on Wednesday. With the win, Broadus is two victories away from making the quarterfinals of the singles draw, which will give her an NCAA Singles Championship bid.
As she has been wont to do, Broadus sped through her first set against Hrastar. The nation's No. 8 singles player went up a break early in the first set before Hrastar broke back in the third game. However, Broadus broke back on a Hrastar double fault, held serve for a 4-1 lead and didn't look back en route to winning the first set 6-2.
In the second set, Hrastar took an early break lead by breaking Broadus in the first game, yet Broadus broke Hrastar on deuce point in the fourth game to even the score at two games apiece. The match was played on serve until Broadus won a pivotal break point in the eighth game, then held serve in the ninth and final game to cap off the straight-set win.
This was Broadus' first career win over Hrastar and her 104th career victory.
In the second round, Broadus will face junior #34 Bridget Stammel of Vanderbilt tomorrow at a time that has yet to be determined. Stammel beat #41 Emma Jackson of Duke in straight sets on Wednesday. Thursday's match will be the first-ever meeting between the two Texans — Broadus hails from Carrollton, while Stammel is from Dallas.
RESULTS
Singles Round of 64
#8 Savannah Broadus (PEPP) def. #57 Ava Hrastar (AUB), 6-2, 6-3
THURSDAY'S MATCH
Singles Round of 32
#8
Savannah Broadus (PEPP) vs. #34 Bridget Stammel (VAND), TBA
