Three Huskies remain alive in singles as UW goes a combined 7-3 in two rounds.
PALO ALTO, Calif. – Three Husky women’s tennis freshmen won their collegiate debuts today as the ITA Northwest Regionals opened up at Stanford’s Taube Tennis Center. At the end of the long day, three Huskies were through to the third round in singles play.
Newcomers Natali Coronel, Capucine Gregoire, and Julija Lukac all got their first taste of college tennis today, and all won their openers. Coronel went to a tiebreak in her first set, but pulled it out against Lauren Curry of UC Davis, 7-6, 6-4. Gregoire overcame Sacramento State’s Clarisse Baca, 6-2, 1-6, 6-1. Lukac had a first round bye, then ousted Kelly Lamble of Santa Clara, 6-1, 4-6, 6-1 in the second round. Although Coronel and Gregoire would drop their second matches of the day, it was still a promising start for the two.
Lukac will be joined in the third round by fourth-ranked and third-seeded senior Denise Dy, and sophomore Andjela Nemcevic. Dy had a first round bye, and then made quick work of Anastasia Polyakova of Portland in the second round, winning 6-1, 6-1. Nemcevic won four straight sets, all by 6-2 scores, to defeat Noelle Eades of UC Davis and Sandra Florea of San Jose State. Senior Samantha Smith also won her first round match with ease, 6-1, 6-1 over Brittany Warly of Santa Clara, but fell to 10th-seeded Tatsiana Kapshai of Sacramento State, 6-3, 6-3, in round two.
Dy, Nemcevic, and Lukac will all play singles as well as doubles tomorrow, as the doubles draw gets into full swing.
The tournament continues through to Tuesday, with the winners claiming an automatic bid to the ITA National Indoor Championships next month in New York.
Washington Women’s Tennis
ITA Northwest Regional Championships
October 21, 2011 – Palo Alto, Calif.
Taube Tennis Center
Singles – Round of 128
Samantha Smith (UW) def. Brittany Warly (SCU), 6-1, 6-1
Capucine Gregoire (UW) def. Clarisse Baca (Sac St), 6-2, 2-6, 6-1
Andjela Nemcevic (UW) def. Noelle Eades (UC Davis), 6-2, 6-2
Natali Coronel (UW) def. Lauren Curry (UC Davis), 7-6, 6-4
(3) Denise Dy (UW), Bye
Julija Lukac (UW), Bye
Singles – Round of 64
Julija Lukac (UW) def. Kelly Lamble (SCU), 6-1, 4-6, 6-1
Andjela Nemcevic (UW) def. Sandra Florea (SJSU), 6-2, 6-2
(3) Denise Dy (UW) def. Anastasia Polyakova (Port), 6-1, 6-1
(10) Tatsiana Kapshai (Sac St) def. Samantha Smith (UW), 6-3, 6-3
Olga Musilovich (WSU) def. Capucine Gregoire (UW), 2-6, 6-2, 6-4
(2) Mallory Burdette (Stan) def. Natali Coronel (UW), 6-1, 6-1
