Tennis Shows Best Performance in School History
10/24/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Oct. 24, 2011
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin women's tennis team had their best performance at the ITA/USTA Regional Tournament in school history this past weekend. The `Jacks went 11-6 overall, including a freshman duo win the back draw in doubles.
"This weekend we faced the best teams in Texas and came away with some very good wins," head coach Patrick Sullivan said. "By this afternoon, some of the girls had played seven tough matches in the span of just three days and were running on fumes, so I was pleased that we fought hard and competed well even under those circumstances"
After the first day of singles play three of SFA's four players advanced in the main draw. Freshman Elena Kordolaimi defeated Mirna Cicak, from Texas A&M Corpus Christi, in the first round in a tough three-setter, but unfortunately, Kordolaimi fell short in her second match of the day, dropping a 6-1, 6-2, decision to Texas Tech's Carolina Starck.
Freshman teammate Malena Gordo won her first singles match at the regional champions against Houston's Joan Garvey, 6-2, 6-2. Gordo went on to play North Texas's Kseniya Bardabush, but fell short, 6-2, 6-3.
The 'Jacks lone returning letterwinner, senior Alina Shazhko, defeated Texas' Annat Rabinovich, 6-4, 6-2. She followed that up with a close three-set victory over Houston's Liselot Koenen, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4. Shazhko made it to round of 32 before falling to Texas Tech's Samantha Adams Saturday morning 6-4, 6-2.
Freshman Tereza Bekerova, seeded number 15 at the tournament, had an opening-round bye, then faced UTEP's Marie LeBlond and prevailed, 7-6, 6-1. Next, she squared off against UNT's Nadia Lee, and defeated her 6-7, 6-4, 6-3. She fought hard in the of round 16, but lost to the tournaments No. 2 player, 6-2, 7-5.
Not only did the women do well in singles play, but all four found success in doubles as well. Shazhko and Kordolaimi won their first match against conference rivals, Sheridan Currie and Imke Jagau from Sam Houston State, 11-8, but the two fell short in their second match 8-2.
The freshman duo of Bekerova and Gordo were seeded number seven in doubles play and had a bye their first round before falling to TCU 8-6. The two moved into the back draw and did nothing but move forward. They defeated Rice, 8-5, in their opening match. The freshman continued to win the doubles back draw, beating out both UTSA's teams and UNT before making it to the finals of the back draw. The two squared off against Houston and won a close match 9-8, winning the back draw doubles title.
"In this marathon-type format, toughness is just as important as talent and so as a coaching staff we're very proud to have two players on the final day of competition still fighting hard in a long, close match and winning in a tiebreaker," Sullivan said.
-SFA-
