Women's tennis opens season at ITA Regionals

SEWANEE, Tenn. – Sewanee's women's tennis team opened its season by hosting the Fall ITA Regional Tournament at Farm and Forge in Franklin, Tenn.

Mariella Congeni led the way for the Tigers, winning both of her singles matches. Congeni opened with a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Alexandra Garcia Casca of Asbury before defeating Emory's Xuanyu Chen, 6-3, 7-6 (0), in the second round.

Five Sewanee players advanced to the second round of singles. Lucy Lee defeated Kaleigh Stallworth of Piedmont, 6-4, 6-2, while Paige Suter and Hanna Davis each opened with straight-set victories without dropping a game. Suter defeated Sarah Dunn of Centre, 6-0, 6-0, and Davis shut out Centre's Shelby Franklin. Ivy Wilson defeated Ajla Selimovic of North Carolina Wesleyan, 6-2, 6-1, and Emma Foster earned a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Emma Hulicki of Methodist.

In the second round, Lee fell to Emory's Visnja Gusavac. Suter dropped a 6-1, 6-3 decision to Emory's Daniela Livson, while Wilson fell to Emory's Sara Nenkov, 6-1, 7-6 (5). Foster was defeated by Emory's Yanire Marte, 6-0, 6-4. Mercer Holman fell in the opening round to Emory's Audrey Pogue, 6-2, 7-5.

In Flight B singles, Allison Bizub defeated Violet Taub of Rhodes, 6-1, 6-4, before falling to Drea Robinson of Piedmont in three sets. Sadie Burdell won both of her matches, defeating Estee Verdery of Covenant, 6-1, 6-2, before taking down Centre's Natalie Black, 6-2, 6-3. Natalie Pumpelly also won both of her matches, defeating Skylar Spinks of Millsaps, 6-0, 6-2, and Centre's Olivia Watson, 6-1, 3-6, 6-0.

In Flight C singles, Ayla Daoud received a first-round bye before defeating Giovana Domingues Dos Santos of Asbury, 6-1, 6-4.

Sewanee also posted strong results in doubles. Congeni and Wilson opened with an 8-0 victory over Centre's Carrie Foster and Emily Immordino before defeating Piedmont's Caroline Morrison and Kaleigh Stallworth, 8-4. Holman and Burdell defeated Marian Hendrixs and Melody Eaves of the University of the Ozarks, 8-2, before earning an 8-4 victory over North Carolina Wesleyan's Ajla Selimovic and Peyton McGahey.

Lee and Foster also won both of their doubles matches, defeating Bailey Flynn and Elizabeth McColl of Mississippi University for Women, 8-6, before edging Rhodes' Lilly Higgins and Lily Clark, 8-6.

In Flight B doubles, Bizub and Pumpelly dropped just two games across two matches. The duo defeated Jynzengten Beaudry and Jillian Key of the University of the Ozarks, 8-0, before defeating Cadela Sanchez Hirschfeld and Mariel Rojas of North Carolina Wesleyan, 8-2.

The Tigers will compete in the second day of ITA Regionals with matches set to start at 9 a.m.

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Players Mentioned

Allison Bizub: Senior

Mariella Congeni: Senior

Hanna Davis: 5' 5"; Sophomore

Emma Foster: 5' 3"; Sophomore

Lucy Lee: 5' 8"; Junior

Natalie Pumpelly: Sophomore

Ivy Wilson: Senior

Sadie Burdell: 5' 5"; Freshman

Paige Suter: 5' 10"; Freshman

Ayla Daoud: 5' 7"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Allison Bizub
: Senior

Mariella Congeni
: Senior

Hanna Davis
: 5' 5"; Sophomore

Emma Foster
: 5' 3"; Sophomore

Lucy Lee
: 5' 8"; Junior

Natalie Pumpelly
: Sophomore

Ivy Wilson
: Senior

Sadie Burdell
: 5' 5"; Freshman

Paige Suter
: 5' 10"; Freshman

Ayla Daoud
: 5' 7"; Freshman