Kangaroo Women's Tennis Still Alive in ITA Regionals
All four 'Roos win their first round; Barber to compete in C-Draw Singles Final Tomorrow
ABILENE, Tex. - The Kangaroo Women's Tennis Team of Austin College competed well on Day 2 of the ITA Southwest Regional Championships in Abilene, TX.
All four of the Day 2 competitors earned wins in their first round matches. Anamariia Kheveli defeated McClain of ETBU 6-4, 6-4 in B-Draw Singles, followed closely by Katie Barber who claimed a win over Sul Ross State University in C-Draw Singles 6-2, 6-3.
In A-Draw Consolation action, Anna Sergiovanni earned the second win of her young career against a talented Ozarks player 6-2, 6-3, leaving Grace Ortiz as the last Kangaroo on court against a veteran Warhawk from McMurry.
Ortiz would not disappoint. After falling behind 4-6 in the first set, she would hold on to a lead earned in the middle of the second set, winning 7-5 and forcing a third set super tiebreaker.
Ortiz got out to an early lead, 7-4, only to have her opponent claw her way back to 7-7. McMurry had several match points in the tiebreaker, but the resilient Ortiz would not be denied, going into "extra-innings" and claiming the victory 16-14 to advance to the quarterfinals.
Ortiz and Sergiovanni would have their tournaments end in the quarterfinals, while Kheveli would fall in the semifinals. But Katie Barber would move on over a freshman from Schreiner University.
Barber took the first set, fell 6-3 in the second set, but stormed through in the tiebreaker 10-3 for the third set, the victory, and cemented her name in the finals.
Barber's opponent is TBD, but her appearance in the main draw final of an ITA event tomorrow at 8:00am will be the first for the Women's Tennis Team in Austin College Women's Division III History, and a victory would be the first Main Draw Singles Championship in Austin College Division III Tennis History.
A Draw Singles
C16 - Anna Sergiovanni def. Karlee Hart (OZ) 6-2, 6-3
C16 - Grace Ortiz def. Sam Ritz (MCM) 4-6, 7-5, 1-0 (16-14)
CQF - Cecile Wilde (SW) def. Sergiovanni, default
CQF - Alexa Gallardo (SRSU) def. Ortiz 6-4, 6-1
B Draw Singles
QF - Anamariia Kheveli def. Jabree McClaine (ETBU) 6-4, 6-4
SF - Anne Wellford (TU) def. Kheveli 6-3, 6-0
C Draw Singles
QF - Katie Barber def. Annette Posada (SRSU) 6-2, 6-3
SF - Barber def. Devin Sanchez (SU) 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (10-3)