Koskel, Pavlechova Advance to Main Draw on Opening Day of ITA Regional Championships

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Arkansas women’s tennis team finished the opening day of the ITA Central Region Championships with two Razorbacks advancing to the singles main draw. The Hogs collected eight wins total and each player recorded at least one victory.

Six Razorbacks competed in the singles qualifying draw with Anet Koskel and Katarina Pavlechova advancing to the main draw after picking up two wins each.

Koskel kicked off the tournament with two straight-set victories to earn her spot in the main draw. In the First Round, Koskel defeated Missouri’s Korina Roso, 7-6 (3), 6-4, before cruising past Tayla Wilmot (Tulsa) 6-2, 6-1 to close out the day. Koskel will face Charlotte Keitel (Kansas State) in the Round of 64 tomorrow at 12 p.m.

Pavlechova claimed her berth in the main draw after a 6-1, 6-1 win against Michelle Trochez (Lindenwood) in the opening round along with a three-set victory over Kansas State’s Maralgoo Chogsomjav, the No. 3 seed in the qualifying draw. Pavlechova moves on to face ninth-seeded Leonie Moeller (Memphis) in the Round of 64 tomorrow at 12 p.m.

Grace O’Donnell began the event with a three-set win in the First Round, besting Tulsa’s Saniya Singh 6-0, 5-7, 6-4. In the following round, O’Donnell fell just short in three sets to No. 4 seed Nikita Vishwase (Iowa).

Katie Ferguson fell in her opening match on Wednesday to Iowa State’s Maria de la Paz Alberto, 1-6, 3-6, sending her to the consolation draw. Ferguson responded with a dominant 6-4, 6-0 victory against Billur Gonlusen (Missouri State) to obtain her first win in Memphis.

Lilitha Ndungane dropped her First Round match to Carla Muro Castellvi (Arkansas State) in straight sets before rebounding with a commanding 6-2, 6-2 win in the consolation draw over Minnesota’s Sofia Pinto to conclude the afternoon.

Jimena Gomez Alonso opened the tournament with a matchup against Lilly Cvanciger (Arkansas State). All three sets went to a tiebreak with Gomez Alonso taking the first set 7-6 (4) before falling in the next two sets 6-7 (9), 6-7 (9). Gomez Alonso answered with an impressive 7-5, 6-3 victory over Clemence Thouard (Memphis) in the consolation draw.

Koskel and Pavlechova will join Olga Bienzobas and No. 18 Carolina Gomez Alonso in the singles main draw. Bienzobas will take the court in the Round of 64 tomorrow at 12 p.m. against Nicole Ross (Missouri State). Carolina Gomez Alonso received the No. 4 seed in the main draw and faces Oklahoma’s Roisin Gilheany in the Round of 64 tomorrow at 1:45 p.m.

The four doubles teams for the Hogs will also be in action tomorrow for the Round of 64 of the main draw. No. 51 Koskel/O’Donnell, the third-seeded duo in the draw, face Ante/Turan (Minnesota) at 9 a.m. while Ferguson/J. Gomez Alonso take the court simultaneously against Kansas State’s Kulhava/Polakova. Ndungane/Pavlechova take on Iowa State’s Narker/Supapitch Kuearum at 9 a.m. with No. 71 Bienzobas/C. Gomez Alonso, the fifth-seeded tandem in the draw, set to face Ben Ezzedine/Jacob (Kansas) at 10 a.m. to begin their run in Memphis.

Day One Results
Singles Qualifying Draw
First Round: Koskel (Arkansas) def. Roso (Missouri), 7-6 (3), 6-4
First Round: O’Donnell (Arkansas) def. Singh (Tulsa), 6-0, 5-7, 6-4
First Round: Alberto (Iowa State) def. Ferguson (Arkansas), 6-1, 6-3
First Round: Pavlechova (Arkansas) def. Trochez (Lindenwood), 6-1, 6-1
First Round: Muro Castellvi (Arkansas State) def. Ndungane (Arkansas), 7-6 (2), 6-3
First Round: Cvanciger (Arkansas State) def. J. Gomez Alonso (Arkansas), 6-7 (4), 7-6 (9), 7-6 (9)
Second Round: Koskel (Arkansas) def. Wilmot (Tulsa), 6-2, 6-1
Second Round: Vishwase (Iowa) def. O’Donnell (Arkansas), 3-6, 6-1, 6-4
Second Round: Pavlechova (Arkansas) def. Chogsomjav (Kansas State), 6-4, 5-7, 6-1

Singles Qualifying Consolation Draw
First Round: Ferguson (Arkansas) def. Gonlusen (Missouri State), 6-4, 6-0
First Round: Ndungane (Arkansas) def. de Oliveira (South Dakota), 6-2, 6-1
First Round: J. Gomez Alonso (Arkansas) def. Thouard (Memphis), 7-5, 6-3