TYLER, Tex. - Women's Tennis made history several times on day 1 at the ITA Southwest Regional Championships hosted by the University of Texas at Tyler.
Melody Duong became the first Women's Tennis Player since 2010 to advance into the round of 16 in A-Singles with her 6-0, 6-4 victory over Nicole Wilson of Southwestern. She was followed by 8th-seed Anna Sergiovanni in her 6-3, 6-2 victory over Emily Danielson of UT-Tyler, and again by Diana Carvajalino with her 6-2, 6-4 performance over Kelly Lewis of East Texas Baptist University.
In all, 3 Women's Tennis players remain in the final 16 spots for a chance to go to Fall ITA Nationals in October. All Main Draw matches begin at UTT at 8:00am, all consolation matches begin at 9:30am.
Carvajalino's first victory may well have been the match of the day at the event, as she upset the 6th-seed Alexis Arrieta of UT-Tyler, 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10). Diana fought off multiple match points en route to the most impressive victory in her short time with the Kangaroos.
Although Kirsten Weber, Katie Seibert, and Chandler Morris would not win their first round matches, their tournament lives still remain in the consolation bracket. Weber received a walkover default from her ETBU opponent, and she will face teammate Katie Seibert tomorrow morning, as Seibert won her Consolation R32 match over TLU's Madison Dyer 3-6, 6-3, 1-0 (8).
Meanwhile, Morris fought off three-consecutive match points against Michaela Ellison of Hardin-Simmons on her way to a 3-6, 6-, 1-0 (12) victory. She faces MP Hubert of TLU tomorrow at 9:30AM.
Brenna McCown received a "Bye" into the C-Singles Round of 32, and won her match against Hannah Moore of LeTourneau 6-2, 6-1 to advance to tomorrow's festivities, as did Summer Willig with her comeback effort against Haleigh Johnson of UMHB, 0-6, 6-3, 1-0 (8).
As singles competition concluded, 8 Kangaroos remained in respective draws, and the 3 Main-Draw competitors in the Round of 16 is the most student-athletes through to Day 2 in the event in program history.
But the 'Roos were not done yet, as they began doubles play.
The tandems of Weber & Victoria Gilbert, and Morris/Seibert made quick work of their first round opponents, 8-2 and 8-4 respectively. But it was Weber/Gilbert who won their Round of 16 match to advance to the quarterfinals, and become the first Kangaroo Women's Doubles Team to advance to Day 2 of A-Draw doubles.
Weber/Gilbert face Wilson/Wilde of Southwestern not before 2:30pm on Saturday 9/23.
Singles Competition
A-Draw
R64 8 Sergiovanni (AC) def. Annie Wise (TU) 6-3, 6-2
R64 Mariana Quetzeri (SW) def. Weber (AC) 7-5, 6-3
R64 9 Sumvruta Iyengar (UTD) def. Seibert (AC) 6-0, 6-1
R64 Carvajalino (AC) def. 6 Alexis Arrieta (UTT) 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10)
R64 Maranda Kahl (SW) def. Gilbert (AC) 7-6 (5), walkover (ret)
R64 9 Duong (AC) def. Mulika Seekhieo (ETBU) 6-2, 6-0
R64 Tiffany Stankiewicz (ETBU) def. Morris (AC) 6-4, 6-3
R32 8 Sergiovanni (AC) def. Emily Danielson (UTT) 6-3, 6-2
R32 Carvajalino (AC) def. Kelly Lewis (ETBU) 6-2, 6-4
R32 9 Duong (AC) def. Nicole Wilson (SW) 6-0, 6-4
C32 Weber (AC) def. Kaleigh Smith (ETBU) walkover (default)
C32 Seibert (AC) def. Madison Dyer (TLU) 3-6, 63, 1-0 (8)
C32 Lauren Kuhn (UTT) def. Gilbert (AC) walkover (default)
C32 Morris (AC) def. Michaela Ellison (HSU) 3-6, 6-1, 1-0 (12)
C-Draw
R32 McCown (AC) def. Moore (LETU) 6-2, 6-1
R32 Willig (AC) def. Haleigh Johnson (UMHB) 0-6, 6-3, 1-0 (8)
Doubles Competition
A-Draw
R32 1 Lutz/Leon (TU) def. Duong/Ortiz (AC) 8-2
R32 8 Gilbert/Weber (AC) def. Smith/Watts (SCH) 8-2
R32 Seely/Raper (UTT) def. Carvajalino/Sergiovanni (AC) 8-4
R32 Seibert/Morris (AC) def. Goza/McCleer (HPU) 8-4
R16 8 Weber/Gilbert (AC) def. Swets/Moeller (SW) 8-4
B-Draw
R32 Popovich/Kempf (CTX) def. McCown/Willig (AC) 9-8 (6)