By: by Mark Toma
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - The Kennesaw State women's tennis team came home with two championships on Sunday as Vera Shkundina won the A1 Singles Flight and the doubles team of Morgan Carney and Therese Lagerkvist won the B1 Doubles Flight at the 2009 UTC Baras Collegiate Fall Classic at the Champions Club.
Shkundina, the No. 2-seed, easily handled the top-seed, Vivian Marani of Jacksonville State in straight sets. The Kennesaw State sophomore won the first set, 6-1, before winning the championship after blanking Marani in the second set.
The championship match culminated a completely dominating performance throughout the weekend for Shkundina, who lost only four games in three matches over the weekend and never lost more than one game in any set.
"Vera was dominant throughout the entire tournament,” boasted head coach Brandon Padgett. “She only lost a total of four games."
Carney and Lagerkvist, the No. 2-seeds, took home the only doubles championship of the weekend for the Owls as they handled the No. 4-seeded team of Annie Green and Brianna Wishing of Tennessee-Chattanooga, 8-4.
“We were able to come away with a doubles title with Morgan and Therese, which was nice to see,” added Padgett. "Many of the players we lost to went on to win the finals, so it shows how well we played this weekend."
In the B1 Singles Flight, Ayano Tanaka lost to Shaina Singh of UTC in a tough straight set match, falling 6-3, 6-3. In the B2 Singles Flight Championship, Lagerkvist lost to Vishakha Sheoran of Southern Illinois, 6-3 and 6-1 while the No. 2-seed Mackenzie Swindall lost in the C2 Singles Flight Championship to UTC's Jennifer Taylor, 6-2 and 6-2.
"Today was a solid day for the women, commented Padgett on Championship Sunday. “Winning two out of five finals isn't bad."
Championship Sunday
A1 Singles Championship
[2] Vera Shkundina (KSU) d. [1] Vivian Marani (Jacksonville State) 6-1, 6-0
B1 Singles Championship
Shaina Singh (UTC) d. Ayano Tanaka (KSU) 6-3, 6-3
B2 Singles Championship
Vishakha Sheoran (Southern Illinois) d. Therese Lagerkvist (KSU) 6-3, 6-1
C2 Singles Championship
Jennifer Taylor (UTC) d. [1] Mackenzie Swindall (KSU) 6-2, 6-2
B1 Doubles Championship
Lagerkvist/Carney (KSU) d. Green/Wishing (UTC) 8-4
