York’s Fisher places eighth at university tennis championships

York University tennis all-star Joelle Fisher ran into some tough competition and finished eighth at the inaugural University and College National Championships held Aug. 16-18 at the Rexall Centre.

Right: Joelle Fisher

The Toronto native lost all three of her matches in the eight-player event for Canadian-born university or college players. The only Canadian Interuniversity Sport player in the men’s or women’s draw, Fisher lost 6-2, 6-0 against 2003 NCAA champion Melanie Roy (Northwood University) in the first round.

Fisher went on to lose 7-6, 6-3 against Vancouver’s Amanda Mankovits (Eastern Washington University) and then lost 6-2, 4-6, 6-0 against Calgary’s Elly Strother (Marquette University) in her final match.

“Overall, it was a great experience for Joelle, being the only Canadian university player in both draws,” York Lions tennis head coach Mike Mitchell said after the event, which took place during the Rogers Cup professional women’s tournament. “She acquitted herself quite well and improved each match.”

Roy, a Montrealer, went on to win the women’s tournament, while Vancouver’s Graeme Kassautzki (University of New Mexico) claimed the men’s title.

The Lions women’s tennis team begins team competition Sept. 13 at 3pm when it hosts the University of Toronto Varsity Blues.

For more background on Joelle Fisher, see YFile Aug. 16, 2007.

Submitted to YFile by Mike Koreen, sport information officer in York’s School of Kinesiology & Health Science, Faculty of Health.