McDonald gains NCAA quarters; Manasse upset

Mackenzie McDonald, playing in the Sacramento
Challenger last October, is ranked No. 420 in the
world. Photo by Paul Bauman

   The similarities between Mackenzie McDonald and Maegan Manasse are almost eerie.
   Both are college juniors with strong Northern California ties.
   Both are seeded sixth in the NCAA Singles Championships.
   Both played No. 9-16 seeds in the round of 16 on Friday.
   Both reached the NCAA doubles quarterfinals.
   And both have first and last names that start with "M."
   But McDonald and Manasse met different fates in singles in Tulsa, Okla.
   McDonald, from UCLA via Piedmont, Calif., in the San Francisco Bay Area, routed Skander Mansouri of Wake Forest 6-1, 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals for the second time.
   “I came out knowing what I needed to do today and took care of business," said McDonald, who's ranked No. 420 in the world and privately coached by former top-10 player Wayne Ferreira. "I just took it to the guy. I played really well. I moved my feet really well today, took away time, and there wasn't much he could do."

   Manasse, from Cal and Redondo Beach in the Los Angeles area, lost to Jasmine Lee of Mississippi State 6-4, 7-6 (0).

   “I played her last year at regionals, and we didn’t get to finish," Lee said. "This year she is ranked higher than me (No. 13 to No. 7), so I didn’t have any pressure. I just did what I can do.”

Cal's Maegan Manasse practices in the Sacramento
Challenger last July. Photo by Paul Bauman

   McDonald, only 5-foot-10 (1.78 meters) and 145 pounds (66 kilograms), has surrendered just 10 games in three straight-set victories. He is scheduled to face second-seeded Roberto Cid of South Florida today at 11 a.m. PDT (live streaming at tulsahurricane.com).
   McDonald, who's seeded second in doubles with Martin Redlicki, said reaching the quarterfinals in both events "feels good, but it’s just part of the process. These aren’t my goals to get to quarters and round of 16; I want to keep going. I'm going for that (U.S. Open) wild card, trying to go all the way.”
   Virginia senior Ryan Shane, the eighth seed and defending champion in singles, lost to 9-16 seed Joao Monteiro of Virginia Tech 1-6, 7-5, 6-2. Virginia won its second straight NCAA team title on Tuesday.
   In women's doubles, No. 4 seeds Manasse and Denise Starr will meet unseeded sisters Mayar Sherif Ahmed and Rana Sherif Ahmed of Fresno State at 10 a.m.
   Also advancing to the doubles quarterfinals were:
   --Bay Area residents Hadley Berg and Paige Cline of South Carolina in the women's draw. Berg is from Greenbrae and Cline from Kentfield. Unseeded, they will take on top-seeded Hayley Carter and Whitney Kay of North Carolina.
   --No. 5-8 men's seeds Filip Bergevi and Florian Lakat of Cal.

NCAA Championships

In Tulsa, Okla.

Northern California results

Men's singles
Round of 16

   Mackenzie McDonald (6), UCLA, def. Skander Mansouri (9-16), Wake Forest, 6-1, 6-2.

Men's doubles

Round of 16

   Filip Bergevi and Florian Lakat (5-8), Cal, def. Henry Craig and Alex Gasson, Denver, 6-4, 2-6 [13-11].
   Mackenzie McDonald and Martin Redlicki (2), UCLA, def. Jack Schipanski and Luis Valero, Tennessee, 6-3, 6-3.

Women's singles

Round of 16

   Jasmine Lee (9-16), Mississippi State, def. Maegan Manasse (6), Cal, 6-4, 7-6 (0).

Women's doubles

Round of 16

   Hadley Berg and Paige Cline, South Carolina, def. Pleun Burgmans and Alizee Michaud, Auburn, 6-0, 6-4.
   Maegan Manasse and Denise Starr (4), Cal, def. Apichaya Runglerdkriangkrai and Luisa Stefani, Pepperdine, 2-6, 6-4 [10-6].
   Mayar Sherif Ahmed and Rana Sherif Ahmed, Fresno State, def. Danielle Collins and Meghan Kelley, Virginia, 6-4, 6-2.