Oct. 25, 2009

SAN DIEGO, CA - Cal State Fullerton freshmen Malorie dela Cruz and Tiffany Mai got their first taste of major college tennis competition over the weekend as the duo represented the Titans at the 2009 ITA Southwest Regionals hosted by San Diego State and the University of San Diego.

Both struggled in singles play against a pair of opponents from USC as dela Cruz fell in straight sets to Danielle Lao, 6-0, 6-0, while Mai was defeated by the Women of Troy's Valeria Pulido-Velasco, 6-1, 6-2. In the consolation bracket, dela Cruz was the only one of the pair to compete, falling to San Diego State's Olivia Colman, 6-0, 6-2.

The tandem faired a little better in doubles play, winning their opening match against Pepperdine's Tara Panu and Tania Rice, 9-7, before dropping their next two matches to Arizona's Natasha Marks and Claire Rietsch, 8-3, and Hawaii's Alyssa Nafarrete and Mari Tadaki in a consolation nailbiter, 9-8 (7).

The Titans have one more fall tournament this season, competing at the Cal State Northridge Matador Invitational on Nov. 13-15 in Northridge.

2009 ITA SOUTHWEST REGIONALS
Singles
Danielle Lao (USC) def. Malorie dela Cruz (CSF), 6-0, 6-0
Olivia Colman (SDSU) def. Malorie dela Cruz (CSF), 6-0, 6-2
Valeria Pulido-Velasco (USC) def. Tiffany Mai (CSF), 6-1, 6-2

Doubles
dela Cruz/Mai (CSF) def. Tara Panu/Tania Rice (PEP), 9-7
Natasha Marks/Claire Rietsch (ARIZ) def. dela Cruz/Mai (CSF), 8-3
Alyssa Nafarrete/Mari Tadaki (HAW) def. dela Cruz/Mai (CSF), 9-8 (7)