Play opened today at the 2006 Gopher Invitational at the Baseline Tennis Center on the University of Minnesota. Doubles began at 9 a.m., while singles play began at 10:30 a.m. Teams particpating in the tournament along with Minnesota are: Air Force, Boston University, Gonzaga, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Wichita State and University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

Minnesota advanced four doubles teams to second round play. Minnesota's Tijana Koprivica (Fr.) and Alex Seaton (Jr.) defeated Air Force's Kelly Morgan and Lauren Wilson 8-1, while Minnesota's Danielle Mousseau (Jr.) and Mariana Spilca (So.) beat UWGB's Lauryn Grimando and Heather Harding 8-4. The Golden Gophers' Mikayla Rogers (Fr.) and Jenna Tellefsen (Sr.) downed Gonzaga's Erin Humphrey and Sydney Lederhouse, 8-5. Minnesota's Karina Chiarelli (So.) and Jackie Spelling (Fr.) also advanced, beating Missouri's Katelyn McKenzie and Raquel Wagner 8-2.

The Maroon and Gold went 11-9 in singles action with Koprivica the lone Golden Gopher with a perfect 2-0 record. Competing in her first collegiate matches, the freshman from Serbia & Montenegro defeated Air Force's Lauren Wilson, 7-5, 6-1 in the first round before overwhelming Torrie Browning of Wichita State, 6-4, 6-1 to advance to the Gold Singles semifinal. In other Gold Singles action, Karina Chiarelli and Alex Seaton opened their Golden Gopher careers with first-round losses and consolation wins.

In the Maroon Singles bracket, Minnesota's three competitors went 0-3 in the opening round, but bounced back to go 3-0 in the consolation draw. After a three-set loss to Christine Abayan of Air Force, Mariana Spilca responded with a convincing 6-3, 6-2 win over Erika Josbena of Missouri. Danielle Mousseau dropped her opening match, but rebounded with a 4-6, 6-2, 10-2 triumph over Nebraska's Wiveca Swarting. Finally, senior Ida Malmberg dropped a three-setter to Yana Sadovskaya of BU before upending Amanda Pratzel of Missouri, 6-3, 6-2. Malmberg and Mousseau square off in the consolation semifinals.

In other action, freshmen Jackie Sperling and Mikayla Rogers opened their UM careers with first-round wins before falling in the quarterfinals of the Minnesota Singles bracket. Finally, in the Gopher Singles bracket, Liz Tusler and Jenna Tellefsen began the 2006-07 season with wins, but posted losses in the second round.

The second round of doubles begins at 8 a.m., while singles resumes around noon on Saturday, Sept. 16. Finals matches will be played on Sunday, Sept. 17.

Brackets with complete results from day 1 are below.

Minnesota Results

Maroon Singles
Round of 16 - Christine Abayan (Air Force) def. Mariana Spilca (MINN), 4-6, 6-4, (10-5)
Round of 16 - Florentina Hanisch (Wichita St.) def. Danielle Mousseau (MINN), 6-1, 6-0
Round of 16 - Yana Sadovskaya (BU) def. Ida Malmberg (MINN), 1-6, 6-1, (10-8)
Consolation Quaterfinals - Spilca def. Erika Josbena (Missouri), 6-3, 6-2
Consolation Quarterfinals - Mousseau def. Wiveca Swarting (Nebraska), 4-6, 6-2, (10-2)
Consolation Quarterfinals - Malmberg def. Amanda Pratzel (Missouri), 6-3, 6-2

Gold Singles
Round of 16 - Tijana Koprivica (MINN) def. Lauren Wilson (Air Force), 7-5, 6-1
Round of 16 - Emily Anderson (Gonzaga) def. Karina Chiarelli (MINN), 6-1, 1-6, (10-6)
Round of 16 - Kayla Berry (Iowa) def. Alex Seaton (MINN), 6-3, 6-0
Quarterfinals - Koprivica def. Torrie Browning (Wichita St.), 6-4, 6-1
Consolation Quaterfinals - Chiarelli def. Marianne Cicmanec (Nebraska), 6-2, 6-1
Consolation Quaterfinals - Seaton def. Rachel Knight (Air Force), 6-0, 6-3

Minnesota Singles
Round of 16 - Jackie Sperling (MINN) def. Jenny Tan (UWGB), 6-4, 6-1
Round of 16 - Mikayla Rogers (MINN) def. Ashley Finnegan (Nebraska), 2-6, 6-3, (10-5)
Quarterfinals - Olga Elkin (Wichita St.) def. Sperling, 6-2, 6-1
Quarterfinals - Kelcie Kolckenga (Iowa) def. Rogers, 7-5, 6-1

Gopher Singles
Round of 16 - Jackie Claypool (MINN), bye
Round of 16 - Liz Tusler (MINN) def. Jessica Laco (Air Force), 6-2, 6-4
Round of 16 - Jenna Tellefsen (MINN) def. Jackie Richey (Wichita St.), 6-3, 7-5
Quarterfinals - Kristen MacWilliam (Gonzaga) def. Claypool, withdrew
Quarterfinals - Gabbi Hernandez (BU) def. Tusler, 6-2, 6-4
Quarterfinals - Jennifer Barnes (Air Force) def. Tellefsen, 6-0, 6-1

North Doubles
Round of 16 - Lefkowitz/Katims (BU) def. Jane Anderson/Ashley Schellhas (MINN), 8-6
Round of 16 - Abraham/Draganova (BU) def. Malmberg/Lindsay Risebrough (MINN), 8-5
Round of 16 - Koprivica/Seaton (MINN) def. Morgan/Wilson (Air Force), 8-1

Star Doubles
Round of 16 - Mousseau/Spilca (MINN) def. Grimando/Hardng (UWGB), 8-4
Round of 16 - Rogers/Jenna Tellefsen (MINN) def. Humphrey/Lederhouse (Gonzaga), 8-5
Round of 16 - Jurgella/Tan (UWGB) def. Jackie Claypool/Liz Tusler (MINN), 8-4
Round of 16 - Chiarelli/Sperling (MINN) def. McKenzie/Wagner (Missouri), 8-2