No. 51 Koskel, O'Donnell Advance to Doubles Semifinals at ITA Central Region Championships
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Arkansas women’s tennis team wrapped up play today at the ITA Central Region Championships with No. 51 Anet Koskel and Grace O’Donnell advancing to the semifinals of the doubles draw.
The Razorbacks opened the fourth day of competition with three doubles teams taking the court in the Round of 16. The duo of Koskel and O’Donnell escaped past Adams/Kubo (Kansas), 8-7 (4), to clinch their spot in the quarterfinals. The tandem followed their victory with an 8-5 win over Iowa’s Hayashida/Schmidt to advance to the semifinals. Koskel and O’Donnell will move on to face Mester/Shcherbinina (Oklahoma) tomorrow at 9 a.m. with a spot in the doubles championships at stake.
No. 71 Olga Bienzobas and Carolina Gomez Alonso dropped their Round of 16 match to Tulsa’s Manyoma Velasquez/Naranjo Martinez, 1-8. Bienzobas and Gomez Alonso end the tournament with two victories in doubles competition.
The freshmen pairing of Lilitha Ndungane and Katarina Pavlechova also fell in the Round of 16 to Garcia Ruiz/Gilheany (Oklahoma), 1-8. Ndungane and Pavlechova conclude their impressive run in the draw with two victories in doubles play after recording two wins previously at the K-State Invitational.
The Hogs had four players compete in the singles Saturday draw with Bienzobas, Katie Ferguson, Ndungane and Pavlechova all in action. Ferguson earned her fourth win of the event after a three-set comeback victory against Arkansas State’s Muro Castellvi. Bienzobas, Ndungane and Pavlechova all dropped their matches in straight sets.
Day Four Results
Doubles Main Draw
R16: No. 51 Koskel/O’Donnell (Arkansas) def. Adams/Kubo (Kansas), 8-7 (4)
R16: Manyoma Velasquez/Naranjo Martinez (Tulsa) def. No. 71 Bienzobas/Gomez Alonso (Arkansas), 8-1
R16: Garcia Ruiz/Gilheany (Oklahoma) def. Ndungane/Pavlechova (Arkansas), 8-1
QF: No. 51 Koskel/O’Donnell (Arkansas) def. Hayashida/Schmidt (Iowa), 8-5
Singles Saturday Draw
R64: Ferguson (Arkansas) def. Muro Castellvi (Arkansas State), 3-6, 6-1, 10-6
R64: Zamburek (Nebraska) def. Bienzobas (Arkansas), 6-4, 6-3
R64: Kulhava (Kansas State) def. Pavlechova (Arkansas), 6-1, 6-2
R64: Thouard (Memphis) def. Ndungane (Arkansas), 6-1, 6-3
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