Box Score SEWANEE, Tenn. - Freshman Catherine Owen finished her first collegiate Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Regional Championship as a semifinalist of the main singles draw, and, along with partner Clementina Davila, earned a finalist spot in the main doubles draw, as the Sewanee women's tennis team competed at the 2017 ITA Regional Championships, presented by Oracle, this past weekend on campus.
The main singles and doubles draws were played to completion, but the consolation singles and doubles, Atlantic South doubles, the Atlantic singles and the South singles were washed out due to inclement weather in the area on Saturday.
Owen started the field of 64 defeating Carlee Petro of Birmingham-Southern, who entered the tournament as the fourth overall seed, in three sets, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1. The freshman found herself in the round of 32 heading into Saturday's action.
In the round of 32, the Tunica, Miss. native swept Caroline Johnson of Oglethorpe in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1.
During her round of 16 matchup, the freshman found herself into another three-set battle, this time with Trisha Sunduram of Emory. Falling 5-7 in the opening set, Owen posted great composure, and rallied to defeat her opponent, 6-3, 6-3 to advance to the quarterfinals.
The quarterfinal matchup with Stephanie Taylor of Emory was a sign of déjà vu once again for Owen. Just as it happened in the round of 16, Owen dropped the opening set, 3-6, but Owen kept her composure as she rallied for the second straight match to defeat her opponent, 6-3, 6-1 to advance to the semifinals Sunday.
For the third time in as many rounds, Owen would have to square off with a third Emory opponent, which was the No. 1 overall seed of the regional, Bridget Harding. The freshman fought hard in her first collegiate ITA regional, but she came up short, falling to Harding, who finished as the runner-up, 3-6, 1-6.
Meanwhile on the doubles side, Owen teamed up with Clementina Davila in the Main Doubles Draw final, facing off with Ysabel Gonzalez-Rico and Bridget Harding.
Before the final, the No. 3 overall seed Owen/Davila shut out Elizar/Quarles of Belhaven, 8-0 to advance to the round of 16, where they took down Safarian/Doherty of Rhodes, 9-7.
In the quarterfinal, the duo took down the team of Fuhr/Sundaram of N.C. Wesleyan, 9-8, to advance to the semifinals.
In the semis, the duo of Lopez/Olcay from Emory battled the Tiger duo, but the Purple and Gold advanced to the final with a 9-8 set victory.
On Sunday, the duo took on another Emory team in Harding-Gonzalez Rico, the No. 1 overall regional seed. The Tigers battled, but fell to Emory, 0-6, 1-6.
MAIN Singles
Darby Duval also competed in the main singles. Duval defeated Jandayia Lubin of Belhaven, 6-1, 6-3 and Sasha Hartje of Emory, 6-0, 6-1 to make it to the round of 16.
Davila also made it to the round of 16. The No. 5 overall seed defeated Nicole Halabi of N.C. Wesleyan, 7-6(1), 6-1 and Caroline Doherty of Rhodes, 6-1, 6-2.
Duval and Davila would face off against each other in the round of 16, but ultimately Davila defeated her teammate, 6-1, 6-2, to advance to the quarterfinals.
Davila finished a quarterfinalist in the main single draw, falling to Daniela Lopez of Emory, 1-6, 2-6.
Also in the main Singles, Taylor Sprouse earned a spot in the round of 32 after a bye, but she was taken down by Katie Chang of Emory in straight sets.
In the consolation bracket, she made it to the final after defeating Sarah Murray of Berry in three sets, 7-5, 1-6, 10-4.
Haley Tucker finished in the round of 16 by defeating Kathryn Barker of Berry, 6-4, 6-1, and Grace Gaskins of Millsaps, 6-4, 6-3.
Christina Merchant defeated Zena Maddux of Centre (6-0, 6-0), Elaine Vernoff of Emory (6-0, 6-0) and teammate Ellie Czura (6-2, 6-1) finish as as quarterfinalist.
Ellie Czura, the seventh-overall seed, defeated Maggie Dabadie of Millsaps, 6-3, 6-1, to advance to the round of 16.
Sara Thompson finished in the round of 16 with 6-3, 6-2 win over Louis Hovhammar of N.C. Wesleyan.
MAIN Doubles
Thompson/Tucker advanced to the quarterfinals with an 8-3 win over Lubin/Furdge of Belhaven and Chang/Hartje of Emory, 8-6.
Merchant/Czura also made it to the quarters with an 8-3 win over Yager/Wisner of Birmingham-Southern and 8-4 win over Johnson/Dattio of Oglethorpe.
Duval/Sprouse earned a win in the regional, defeating Buchholz/Landsiedel of Piedmont, 8-1.
ATLANTIC Singles
Meredith Heitland was able to get to the championship of the Atlantic Singles before the rains halted play. She won her matches against Lizzy Engsberg of Agnes Scott (6-4, 6-3) in the round of 32, Ashton Henderson of Birmingham-Southern (6-4, 6-0) in the round of 16, Megan Waldheim of Piedmont (6-1, 6-3) in the quarterfinals and Ella Shields of Millsaps in the semifinals.
Abbie Vaughn finished as a quarterfinalist with victories over Kara Landsiedel of Piedmont (6-2, 6-2) and Taylor Lee of Agnes Scott (6-1, 6-1).
Atlantiic South Doubles
Heitland/Vaughn competed in doubles play, where they defeated Mullen/Sculco, 8-1, in the quarters and Waldheim/Wood of Piedmont, 8-6, in the semis before play was halted.
The 2018 season of the Tigers women's tennis team will open Friday, Feb. 16 vs. Brenau.
