OJAI PREVIEW!
Hey peeps. I decided to go out on a limb here and write up a quick preview of one of the coolest, oldest and most reputable tournaments around. THE OJAI! **Note: the tournament has begun but I have restrained myself from looking at results until this is posted!!
This tournament is in its 115th year and if my math serves me right (never take my math for legitimacy), it started in 1900. Whoa baby…
The OJAI brings together D3 as well as other small colleges (NAIA mostly) and a couple D1 schools together in a weekend tournament. While there are like 20+ draw divisions in the OJAI, I will obviously restrict this article to the D3 and Independent College Bracket for Singles and Doubs.
I’m feeling like a good switcheroo is in order so let’s start with the doubs first!
Seeds:
1: Caroline Ward/Katie Kuosman – CMS
2: Costamagna/Sratman – Westmont (NAIA)
3: Hermsdorf/Reed – Abilene Christian (D1)
4: Bridget Etchegaray/Laina Matsuda – La Verne
5: Petrzalkova/Prudhomme – Grand Canyon (D1)
6: Rachel Fox/Andrea Hammer – Chapman
7: Pothier/Walker – Abilene Christian (D1)
8: Deleval/Rinaldi – Grand Canyon (D1)
Alrighty let’s get down to business.
FIRST ROUND (seeds with bye):
Gordon/Zhao (PP) def. Houston/Pritchett (Hope)
Meyer/Rivera (Westmont) def. Chen squared (Caltech)
Kaplan/Weintraub (Whittier) def Mota/Vogel (Biola)
Duong/Saunders (Chapman) def. Sousa/Werman (Cal Lu)
Etchegaray/Zamilpa (Whittier) def. Miller/Penner (Hope)
Chen/Doraiswami (PP) def. Heer/Post (Biola)
Chinn/Madrigal (La Verne) def. Kenny/Kubota (Cal Lu)
SECOND ROUND (everyone plays):
1: Ward/Kuzy (CMS) def. Gordon/Zhao (PP)
7: Pothier/Walker (Abilene) def. Meyer/Rivera (Westmont)
4: Etchegaray/Matsuda (La Verne) def. Kaplan/Weintraub (Whittier)
8: Deleval/Rinaldi (Grand Canyon) def. Duong/Saunders (Chapman)
6: Fox/Hammer (Chapman) def. Etchegaray/Zamilpa (Whittier)
Chen/Doraiswami (PP) def. 3: Hermsdorf/Reed (Abilene)
5: Petrazalkova/Prudhomme (GC) def. Kukino/Scott (CMS)
2: Costamagna/Stratman (Westmont) def. Chinn/Madrigal (La Verne)
QUARTERFINALS:
1: Ward/Kuzy (CMS) def. 7: Pothier/Walker (Abilene)
8: Deleval/Rinaldi (Grand Canyon) def. 4: Etchegaray/Matsuda (La Verne)
Chen/Doraiswami (PP) def. 6: Fox/Hammer (Chapman)
5: Petrazalkova/Prudhomme (GC) def. 2: Costamagna/Stratman (Westmont)
SEMIFINALS:
1: Ward/Kuzy (CMS) def. 8: Deleval/Rinaldi (Grand Canyon)
5: Petrazalkova/Prudhomme (GC) def. Chen/Doraiswami (PP)
FINALS:
1: Ward/Kuzy (CMS) def. 5: Petrazalkova/Prudhomme (GC)
3rd-4th PLAYOFF:
8: Deleval/Rinaldi (Grand Canyon) def. Chen/Doraiswami (PP)
Reasons why I love this event: The OJAI always sees some interesting matchups that will probably never happen in dual match play. Also, it is one of the few, if only opportunity where we can see D3, NAIA and D1 schools come together in an event. I do feel that Grand Canyon is very solid D1 school but the #1 team in the nation in D3 doubles will take them down in the finals!! Good results ahead of Chen/Doraiswami of PP (giant killers); Fox/Hammer of Chapman and Etchegaray/Matsuda of La Verne!!
Note: all matches in BOLD are predicted as three setters 🙂
SINGLES PREVIEW:
Seeds:
1: Lauren Stratman – Westmont (defending champ)
2: Tatum Prudhomme – Grand Canyon
3: Brittney Reed – Abilene
4: Caroline Ward – CMS
5: Andrea Madrigal – La Verne
6: Erin Walker – Abilene
7: Kaysie Hermsdorf – Abilene
8: Katie Kuosman – CMS
9: Alex Petrazalova – Grand Canyon
10: Shivani Doraiswami – PP
11: Meagan Zamilpa – Whittier
12: Laina Matsuda – La Verne
13: Haley Strandness – Westmont (WHITDRAWN)
14: Rachel Fox – Chapman
15: Sarah Kukino – CMS
16: Mary Zhao – PP
FIRST ROUND (Top 8 seeds with bye):
TOP HALF:
Pothier (Abilene) def. Chinn (La Verne)
16: Zhao (PP) def. Vogel (Biola)
Duong (Chapman) def. V. Chen (Caltech)
Sousa (Cal Lu) def. Pritchett (Hope)
9: Petrzalkova (Grand Canyon) def. Kaplan (Whittier)
Brown (CMS) def. Heer (Biola)
Saunders (Chapman) def. Henry (Whittier)
12: Matsuda def. Mota (Biola)
Chen (PP) def. Penner (Hope)
Bria Smith (CMS) & Shelby Kubota (Cal Lu) advanced via Walkover
Rinaldi (Grand Canyon) def. Etchegaray (La Verne)
BOTTOM HALF:
Deleval (Grand Canyon) def. Kenny (Cal Lu)
11: Zamilpa (Whittier) def. Rivera (Westmont)
Hruska (PP) def. Hammer (Chapman)
Meyer (Westmont) def. S. Chen (Caltech)
Kuo (PP) def. 14: Fox (Chapman)
Weintraub (Whittier) def. Houston (Hope)
Gold (Cal Lu) def. Ashford (Biola)
15: Kukino (CMS) def. Marjanovic (Abilene)
Etchegaray (Whittier) def. Bollinger (Hope)
Davis (Westmont) def. Werman (Cal Lu)
Torres (La Verne) def. Post (Biola)
SECOND ROUND (everyone plays):
1: Stratman (Westmont) def. Pothier (Abilene)
16: Zhao (PP) def. Duong (Chapman)
5: Madrigal (La Verne) def. Sousa (Cal Lu)
9: Petrazalkova (Grand Canyon) def. Brown (CMS)
3: Reed (Abilene) def. Saunders (Chapman)
12: Matsuda (La Verne) def. Smith (CMS)
8: Kuzy (CMS) def. Chen (PP)
Rinaldi (Grand Canyon) def. Kubota (Cal Lu)
Deleval (Grand Canyon) def. 11: Zamilpa (Whittier)
6: Walker (Abilene) def. Hruska (PP)
Kuo (PP) def. Meyer (Westmont)
4: Ward (CMS) def. Weintraub (Whittier)
15: Kukino (CMS) def. Gold (Cal Lu)
7: Hermsdorf (Abilene) def. Etchegaray (Whittier)
10: Doraiswami (PP) def. Davis (Westmont)
2: Prudhomme (Grand Canyon) def. Torres (La Verne)
ROUND OF 16:
1: Stratman (Westmont) def. 16: Zhao (PP)
9: Petrazalkova (Grand Canyon) def. 5: Madrigal (La Verne)
3: Reed (Abilene) def. 12: Matsuda (La Verne)
8: Kuzy (CMS) def. Rinaldi (Grand Canyon)
6: Walker (Abilene) def. Deleval (Grand Canyon)
4: Ward (CMS) def. Kuo (PP)
7: Hermsdorf (Abilene) def. 15: Kukino (CMS)
2: Prudhomme (Grand Canyon) def. 10: Doraiswami (PP)
QUARTERFINALS:
9: Petrazalkova (Grand Canyon) def. 1: Stratman (Westmont)
3: Reed (Abilene) def. 8. Kuzy (CMS)
4: Ward (CMS) def. 6: Walker (Abilene)
2: Prudhomme (Grand Canyon) def. 7: Hermsdorf (Abilene)
SEMIFINALS:
3: Reed (Abilene) def. 9: Petrazalkova (Grand Canyon)
2: Prudhomme (Grand Canyon) def. 4: Ward (CMS)
3rd-4th PLAYOFF:
9: Petrazalkova (Grand Canyon) def. 4: Ward (CMS)
FINAL:
3: Reed (Abilene) def. 2: Prudhomme (Grand Canyon)
Alrighty folks!! Those are my picks for the OJAI tourney this weekend. Adding D1 schools to this field makes it MUCH more interesting and MUCH more tougher for D3 schools. However, I see strong performances from the Top 2 of CMS and some of the Pomona players!!
CONGRATS TO ALL PLAYERS!
Be on the lookout for some great article from the blog this weekend including UAA wrap-ups; NESCAC previews: SCIAC previews and reviews of other Pool A conference championships!!
Until next time,
D3WW