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Preikschas makes quarterfinal cut
The junior plays today for chance at semis
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Cal State Stanislaus women’s tennis junior Verena Preikschas took down Academy of Art’s Amal Ben El Hadj in straight sets to advance to the quarterfinal round of the 111th Ojai Valley Tennis Tournament in Ojai.

Preikschas, the tournament’s No. 5 seed player in singles competition, beat El Hadj, 7-5 and 6-4 Friday morning. The win sets up a marquee matchup between the Warrior junior from Arnsberg, Germany and third-seeded Bettina Radke of Concordia on today, with the winner to play in the semifinals at 12:30 p.m.

This is the third straight year that Preikschas has advanced to the quarterfinals of the Ojai Tournament. In 2009, she lost to Kristin Strimple of Point Loma Nazarene before Preikschas lost to Azusa Pacific’s Sheryl Bon last year.

In the other two singles matches involving Cal State Stanislaus players, top-seeded Strimple defeated Vanesa Reibstein, 6-2, 6-0. Warrior junior Katie Eng was also defeated in the round of 16, losing to No. 4 Marie Boura of Fresno Pacific, 6-3, 6-2.

In doubles competition, McKenzy Harden and Reibstein pulled off an upset over seventh-seeded Jordan Kimura and Bettina Radia of Concordia in their first match of the day. The Warriors won 6-4 and 6-1 to advance to the quarterfinals, where they fell to Ashley Litchfield and Strimple of Point Loma Nazarene. Harden and Reibstein put up a good fight in the first set, pushing the top-seeded team to tiebreaker before dropping 7-6 (5), 6-0.

In the other doubles play, No. 4 seed Preikschas and Eng faced a determined duo from Azusa Pacific. Emily Harris and Natalie McNall upset the Stanislaus team in a long tight battle, 6-4, 4-6, 10-8. Harris and McNall later also upset the No. 6-seeded team from Cal State L.A. to advance to the semifinals.