SALT LAKE CITY, Utah Fernanda DaValle (duh VYE-ah) and Maria Perevoschikova (pair-a-vosh-eh-cove-ah ) were defeated in the opening round of the ITA Central Region Singles Pre-Qualifying at the Eccles Tennis Center on the campus of the University of Utah and will not have a chance to make the singles main draw which begins play tomorrow.

Da Valle was defeated by Missouri’s Stephanie Johns, but not until she rallied from a 6-4 first set loss and forced a tie break with a 6-3 win in game two. Johns won the tie break 10-6. Perevoschikova lost in straight sets to Arkansas’ Ela Kaluder, 6-2, 6-1.

Kansas State had three players automatically receive bids to the main draw based on their record from last season and their play this fall. Tamar Kvaratskhelia (kah-vah-RATSK-heel-yah), Katerina Kudlackova (kud-LATCH-cove-ah), and Jessica Simosa will begin singles competition tomorrow as the first round of the main draw gets underway.

Unlike the pre-qualifying rounds, the main draw competition is not single-elimination. Players and doubles teams who lose have an opportunity to compete in a consolation bracket.

Perevoschikova will team with Simosa and take on Utah’s Elizabeth Ferris and Cinthia Saucedo at 4:30 p.m. in the first round of the main draw doubles bracket tomorrow. Kvaratskhelia and Kudlackova earned a seeded berth in the main draw doubles bracket and received a bye in the first round and will face either a team from Oklahoma or Boise State at 6:30 p.m.

An updated bracket can be found by going to http://tournaments.usta.com.

2005 ITA Central Region Tournament

Eccles Tennis Center University of Utah

Day One Results Pre-Qualifying Singles

Wednesday, October 19

Singles

Round of 64

Stephanie Johns (Missouri) def. Fernanda Da Valle (KSU), 6-4, 3-6, 10-6

Ela Kaluder (Arkansas) def. Maria Perevoschikova (KSU), 6-2, 6-1