PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. - William and Mary women's tennis senior Maria Belaya became the first Tribe player since 2008 to earn a spot in the main singles draw at the Riviera/ITA All-American Championships on Wednesday. She pulled out a three-set win over Columbia's Bianca Sanon, running her winning streak to three matches and in the process qualifying for the elite 32-player championship draw. The Riviera/ITA All-American Championship is the first collegiate tennis national championship event of the fall season, featuring the most exclusive championship draws of the top 32 singles players and top 24 double teams in the country.

Belaya pulled out the opening set against Sanon, who is ranked No. 104 nationally, in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (4), before the Columbia Lion rallied to win the second set, 6-2. Not to be outdone, the reigning Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year dominated the third set without dropping a game, 6-0, to claim her spot in the championship draw. Belaya, who is ranked No. 99 nationally in singles, improved her singles ledger to 6-3 on the fall.

The first round of the main singles draw is slated to begin at 2:45 p.m. (ET) on Thursday with the second set of opening-round matches taking place at 4:30 p.m. (ET). Belaya is the first W&M player since current WTA pro and former Tribe standout Megan Moulton-Levy to participate in both the exclusive All-American championship draws for singles and doubles.

Belaya and fellow senior Jeltje Loomans are seeded No. 6 in the 24-team main doubles draw, which also begins play on Thursday. By virtue of their national seed, Belaya and Loomans received a first-round bye and will face either the California duo of Lynn Chi and Anett Schutting, who are ranked No. 11 nationally, or a qualifier at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. The Tribe pair is currently undefeated on the season at 6-0, including three wins over nationally-ranked competition.

#99 Maria Belaya (W&M) def. #104 Bianca Sanon (Columbia) – 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-0