University of Houston
ITA Regional Championships
ITA Texas Regional is Houston’s Next Task
10/17/2018 4:28:00 PM | Tennis
Cougars open 5-day event in College Station
HOUSTON – The Houston Cougar Women's Tennis team continues falls play with the ITA Texas Women's Regional, to be held across Oct. 18-22 in College Station, Texas.
The 5-day event features a 128-seed, single-elimination bracket for singles play, while doubles will feature nearly 64 teams vying for the regional crown. Action kicks off for each of the Cougars in singles play on Thursday, beginning at 9:30 a.m.
Four Cougars enter the weekend tied for the team lead in wins with three, including freshman Stephanie Belovukovic, who will meet Lusine Chobanyan (Sam Houston State) in the opening round. Belovukovic advanced to her flight finals with two wins at the SMU Invitational.
Redshirt freshman Elena Tairyan also advanced to the flight finals at the SMU Invite, brining a fall record of 2-1 into the Regional. Tairyan will draw Doris Alekovska (UT Rio Grande Valley) in the first round on Thursday.
Junior Phonexay Chitdara and Ndindi Ndunda each sport 3-2 records heading into College Station. Chitdara will face off against Vera Carvalho (Stephen F. Austin) in the round of 128, while Ndunda matches up against Ana Perez (Texas State).
Freshman Sophie Gerits and junior Constandena Nicolaou will round out the action for Houston in the first round against a pair of opponents from UT Rio Grande Valley. Gerits will compete in her first regional against Michelle Walker, while Nicolaou will square off against Katarina Sasaroga.
Winning student-athletes in the round of 128 will advance to the Round of 64 beginning at 11:30 a.m., Thursday. Athletes that drop their first round matchups will be placed in the consolation bracket.
Each of Houston's six student-athletes will also be in action for doubles play at the regional, beginning at 3:30 p.m., Thursday. The Cougars' duo of Nicolaou/Belovukovic will meet Walker/Dominique Ibarra (UTRGV), while Tairyan/Ndunda will face Neharika Rama and Lucia Garcia (Prairie View A&M).
The team of Chitdara/Gerits received a bye out of the first round and will meet the winner of Sylvia Viljoen/Jordan Henry (Abilene Christian) and Julia Navajo/Perez (Texas State). Due to the threat of inclement weather over the weekend, the committee has not decided if second round matches will be played Thursday or Friday.
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