WACO, Texas (SMU) - The SMU Mustangs women's tennis team began its weekend at the USTA-ITA Regional Championships on Thursday, seeing three players advance to the round of 32 in singles and one doubles pair do the same in Waco, Texas.

Juniors Vaszilisza Bulgakova and Hristina Dishkova and sophomore Dasha Sharapova all advanced to the round of 32 in singles for the Mustangs. Bulgakova topped Jelena Dzinic of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the round of 64. Dishkova beat Lana Groenvynck of Texas in straight sets; 6-3, 6-3, and then swept Ana Laura Gutierrez of Texas State; 6-4, 6-2. Sharapova advanced with a thrilling first-round win over Pippa Carr of Texas State; 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (3) and then moved to the third round after Saska Gavrilovska of Texas A&M withdrew from the event.

Junior Yana Erkeeva lost a tight three-set match in the first round to Eva Paalma of Texas A&M; 3-6, 6-4, 6-3. Senior Holly Verner had a convincing first-round win over Reegan Greenwood of UT-Pan American; 6-2, 6-2, but fell in the second round to Sabrina Federici of Texas Tech. Sophomore Macie Elliott also lost in the second round, to Kelly Anderson of Baylor.

SMU had two doubles pairs in action on Thursday, and both succumbed to defeats of narrow margin. Bulgakova and Sharapova suffered a tough defeat in the first round of doubles to Palina Dubavets and Alexis Pereira of TCU; 8-7 (5). Anna Kate Anderson and Elliott lost 8-6 to Angeles de los Rios and Elizabeth Thoms of UT Arlington. Dishkova and Verner will begin their doubles tournament tomorrow after receiving a bye in the first round.

Both Bulgakova and Dishkova will continue in singles against players from Texas A&M tomorrow, as Bulgakova will play at 11:45 a.m. against Anna Mamalat and Dishkova will play at 10:15 a.m. against Maria Ines Deheza. Sharapova is pegged to play Fabienne Gettwart of Sam Houston State at 11:45 a.m.

Erkeeva will begin the third round of consolation singles versus Eva Dench of Texas State at 11:45 a.m.

Live stats and video of the event can be found here.