Women's Tennis Has Stellar Day At ITA Southern Regional
Oct 23, 2009 | Women's Tennis
Oct. 23, 2009
AUBURN, Ala. - Heading into the 2009 ITA Southern Fall Regional, Tulane head women's tennis coach Terri Sisk was quick to point out that her team's primary goals were to focus on performance goals rather than results.
After a stellar day at the Yarborough Tennis Center in Auburn, Ala., however, the Green Wave may have to rethink their approach to the tournament as the second-year Tulane program went 4-2 in singles play and 3-2 in doubles action.
"Winning four out of six singles matches was just a phenomenal product of what we've been working on the entire fall and even since last fall," Sisk said. "All three freshmen won their first round matches and look to build on that success tomorrow. Overall, today was an amazing day for Tulane tennis."
Tulane got off to a good start in doubles action as the tandem of sophomore Lindsay Dvorak and Emma Helistén defeated UAB's Giorgia Romeo and Brittany DeFelice, 8-1, in the opening round and bounced Auburn's top due of Fani Chifchieva and Carolina Thornton, 8-5, in round No. 2.
The Green Wave team of Mariam Kurdadze and Emma Levy posted a first-round win over Troy's Emma Smith and Gabriella Veiga, 8-3, before falling to Mississippi's Connor Vogel and Gabriela Rangel in the second round. Hila Elster and Elizabeth Hamlin, meanwhile, lost their opening-round doubles match to UAB's Evelien Strijker and Pino, 8-6.
In singles play, Elster, Helistén, Levy and Kurdadze all posted wins to advance in to second round. Elster, who had to earn her way into the draw with a 6-4, 6-1 win over LSU's Kylie Adamek on Thursday, swept Troy's Stephanie Viera, 7-6, 6-1, while Helistén followed suit with a 6-2, 6-3 decision over Lena Satge of Louisiana-Monroe. Levy defeated Lindsey Mallory of Samford, 6-3, 6-1, and Kurdadze posted back-to-back 6-3 wins over Louisiana-Lafayette's Briggitt Macovich.
Hamlin, meanwhile, dropped a hard-fought 6-0, 3-6, 6-2 decision to Auburn's Jil Hastenrath, while Dvorak fell to LSU's Nicole Kantor, 7-5, 6-1.
"Today was probably the best day in the entire year and a half we've been back competing," Sisk said. "Going 7-4 in a very, very strong ITA Regional speaks volumes about our future. The highlight of today came when Emma Helistén and Lindsay Dvorak defeated a nationally-ranked team from Auburn. They just played very high level doubles and really demonstrated what we're capable of.
"Another highlight was (Elizabeth) Hamlin. She lost in three sets to one of Auburn's probably top 3-or 4 singles player, but really demonstrated the level of tennis she's capable of playing. Today was definitely a break-through for her."
The 2009 ITA Southern Fall Regional continues on Saturday with the second round of singles play and the third round of doubles action. The semifinals are slated for Sunday and finals for Monday.
Following the ITA Southern Regional, the Green Wave close out the fall portion of their 2009-10 schedule at Houston for the Cougar Fall Draw from Nov. 6-8.
TULANE RESULTS FROM DAY 1 OF THE ITA SOUTHERN FALL REGIONAL
First-Round Singles
Jil Hastenrath (Auburn) def. Elizabeth Hamlin (Tulane) - 6-0, 3-6, 6-2
Hila Elster (Tulane) def. Stephanie Viera (Troy) - 7-6, 6-1
Emma Helistén (Tulane) def. Lena Satge (Louisiana-Monroe) - 6-2, 6-3
Emma Levy (Tulane) def. Lindsey Mallory (Samford) - 6-3, 6-1
Kantor (LSU) def. Lindsay Dvorak (Tulane) - 7-5, 6-1
Mariam Kurdadze (Tulane) def. Briggitt Marcovich (Louisiana-Lafayette) - 6-3, 6-3
First-Round Doubles
Lindsay Dvorak / Emma Helistén (Tulane) def. Giorgia Romeo / Brittany DeFelice (UAB) - 8-1
Mariam Kurdadze / Emma Levy (Tulane) def. Emma Smith / Gabriella Veiga (Troy) - 8-3
Evelien Strijker / Pino (UAB) def. Hila Elster / Elizabeth Hamlin (Tulane) - 8-6
Second-Round Doubles
Lindsay Dvorak / Emma Helistén (Tulane) def. Fani Chifchieva / Caroline Thornton (Auburn) - 8-5
Connor Vogel / Gabriela Rangel (Mississippi) def. Mariam Kurdadze / Emma Levy (Tulane) - 8-1
Players Mentioned
