Oct. 24, 2007
LUBBOCK, Texas (SMU)--The women's tennis team found success at the Wilson/ITA Regional Championships last weekend, Oct. 18-22. Natalia Bubien , Pavi Francis, and Kristen Reid shined in singles competition, while all three doubles teams competed well in both the main draw and the consolation bracket.
Reid blazed through the qualifying draw, defeating Paty Manzur of Sam Houston State, and Samantha Moreton of North Texas (6-1, 6-1) in the first two rounds before advancing to the main draw by coming back from one set down and fighting off match points in the second set in a hard-fought victory over Ashley Murdock of LSU (3-6, 6-4, 7-5).
In the main draw, Bubien knocked off Tiffany Lee of Rice in straight sets (6-4, 6-0) in the first round. In the round of 32, Bubien faced Irina Sotnikova, Sam Houston State's top player. Bubien prevailed in a tough three-set match, beating Sotnikova, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 and advancing to the round of 16. Bubien matched up with five-seed Nina Munch-Soegaard of TCU, and was defeated in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4.
Francis also made it to the round of 32, beating Idunn Hertzberg of TCU, 6-2, 7-5, before falling to Elze Potgieter of Texas A&M, 6-2, 6-1.
In doubles action, Monica Neveklovska and Kseniia Tokarieva took on Maria Andres and Leah Roberts of Texas Tech, beating them, 8-4. Neveklovska and Tokarieva then faced three-seed Vanja Corovic and Marija Milic of Texas and were defeated, 8-2.
The pairs of Francis and Kristen Reid and Bubien and Nicole Briceno were each eliminated in the field of 64, dropping them to the consolation bracket. Francis and Reid took on Nora Kuruc and Roxana Martinez of Sam Houston State in the first round, beating them, 8-4. Francis/Reid then beat Katelyn MacKenzie and Narine Kazarova of North Texas, 8-1, advancing them to the quarterfinals, where they fell to eventual champions Stephanie Davidson and Elze Potgieter of Texas A&M.
Briceno/Bubien received a free pass in the first round when the Texas Tech pair they were matched up against withdrew due to injury. In the second round, the pair faced Neila Starratt and Lynley Wasson of Houston, beating them, 8-3. Briceno/Bubien withdrew from competition when cold weather and wind in Lubbock forced tournament directors to delay start times.
The Wilson/ITA Regional Championships wrapped up the Mustangs' fall schedule. The Ponies will be back in action in January when they hit the road to take on Harvard, Brown and Texas-Arlington, before heading home to host Prairie View A&M and Texas-San Antonio. For the complete schedule and results, log on to SMUMustangs.com.
