Oct. 26, 2008
Updated Draws
ATHENS, Ga. - The Kennesaw State women's tennis team's season came to an end on Saturday after the Owls were eliminated from contention at the Wilson/ITA Southern Regionals. Though they played their opponents tough, the Owls could muster only one singles win against the strongest field that they have faced all fall.
"Today was a much more solid performance across the board from our team," said Kennesaw State Director of Tennis Operations and Assistant Coach T.J. Greggs. "We are very proud of the way everyone pulled it together after a disappointing doubles outing yesterday."
Ayano Tanaka was the victorious Owl, overcoming defending Atlantic Sun Conference Champion Jacksonville's Elvira Yusupova in three sets in the B flight round of 32. Tanaka easily took the first set 6-2 before Yusupova evened the match with a 6-2 win of her own in the second. The Owls sophomore held on in the third and final set, emerging victorious 10-6 to advance to the round of 16.
Tanaka looked sharp in the first set of her round of 16 match with Georgia State's Katerina Gresova but couldn't push through, eventually falling 7-6 (3). Gresova proved too much in the second, eliminating Tanaka with a 6-1 win.
Vera Shkundina also lost to an opponent from Georgia State, falling 6-4, 6-1 to the Panthers' Dariana Kozmina in the A flight round of 64.
Two other Owl players took their matches to three sets before coming up on the losing side of the scoreboard. Courtney Cox lost 6-7 (5), 6-2, 10-7 to Lauren Pfeiffer of Florida Gulf Coast, while Morgan Carney fell 5-7, 6-3, 10-9 to South Florida's Natalia Guevara. Carney had a match point against Guevara, but a backhand-winner sailed just wide and the Bulls' sophomore pushed back for the win.
The remainder of the Owls squad was defeated in straight sets. Alena Sergeychik attempted a second-set comeback on Miami's Jenna Osborne, winning four games before losing 6-0, 6-4. Troy's Gabriela Viega eliminated Agatha Palider 6-2, 6-1 and Alabama's Shelley Godwin blanked Lindsay Dillon 6-0, 6-0 in KSU's other two matches.
"Ayano picked up an important win for us here over conference foe Jacksonville which bodes well for the conference season," added Greggs. "Courtney and Morgan also both had strong matches, and Alena was able to put together a very solid second set against Miami."
Overall the team had an outstanding fall, earning two front draw titles and capturing multiple consolation draw wins. They will now return home for three months of off-season practice before beginning their spring season with a home doubleheader on January 25. They are scheduled to take on Savannah State at 10 a.m. before facing Georgia Southern at 1 p.m.
Day Two Results
A64 Dariana Kozmina (Ga. State) def. Vera Shkundina, 6-4, 6-1
B32 Ayano Tanaka def. Elvira Yusupova (Jacksonville), 6-2, 2-6 1-0 (10-6)
B16 Katerina Gresova (Ga. State) def. Tanaka, 7-6(3), 6-1
B32 Lauren Pfeiffer (FGCU) def. Courtney Cox, 6-7(5), 6-2, 1-0(7)
B32 Jenna Osborne (Miami) def. Alena Sergeychik, 6-0, 6-4
B32 Gabriela Viega (Troy) def. Agatha Palider, 6-2, 6-1
B16 Shelley Godwin (Alabama) def. Lindsay Dillon, 6-0, 6-0
B16 Natalia Guevara (USF) def. Morgan Carney, 5-7, 6-3, 1-0(9)
