ARLINGTON, Texas – The Colorado State University Pueblo women's tennis team began play here Thursday on the first day of the ITA South Central Regional Championships hosted by Dallas Baptist University.
CSU Pueblo sent four competitors to compete at this year's ITA South Central Regional Championships as all competed in both singles and doubles competition on Thursday. The four competitors for the Pack were sophomore Margot Aebischer (Etupes, France/Eastern Arizona College), junior Valentina Brienza (Rionero in Vulture, Italy/University of District of Columbia), junior Marta Garcia (Alcala de Hernares, Spain/Cardinal Stritch) and freshman Mariangel Nunez (Weston, Fla./Unidad Educativa Padre Claret).
Singles competition was highlighted by the Pack's foursome posting a combined record of 3-3 as three of the four Pack players advanced to play on Friday's second day of action.
In the Open Singles Division, Garcia opened with a 6-2, 6-0 loss to Annika Andersson-Gomez from Texas A&M-Kingsville in the Round of 64, before picking up a 6-1, 6-1 win in the Consolation Round of 32 singles draw against Western New Mexico's Kajsa Gedlitschka. Garcia, who went 1-1 on Thursday, will face Midwestern State's Micaela McSpadden in the Consolation Round of 16 at 8 a.m. on Friday.
Aebischer was the Pack's other competitor in the Open Singles Division as she opened the Round of 64 with a 6-0, 6-0 loss to Texas-Tyler's Carolina Williams, before falling in the Consolation Round of 32 to Dallas Baptist's Emily Buchanan, 6-2, 6-1. Aebischer went 0-2 on Thursday's opening day.
Nunez and Brienza each competed in the 'B' Singles Draw Round of 16 on Thursday as Nunez opened the event with a win over Lubbock Christian's Hannah Quick, 4-6, 6-3, 10-5, while Brienza collected a 6-4, 6-4 win over Lubbock Christian's Taylor Nichols. With their wins, Brienza will face Elise Carbo in the 'B' Singles Consolation quarterfinals on Friday at 8 a.m., while Nunez will meet Montserrat Salazar from UT-Permian Basin at 9 a.m. on Friday.
Meanwhile, in doubles action, Garcia and Nunez competed in the Open Division as they opened the Round of 32 with an 8-1 loss to Midwestern State's duo of Sydney Williams and Anda Ghinga. The loss dropped the Pack duo in the Consolation Round of 16 where they fell to Western New Mexico's duo of Gedlitschka and Caini Wang, 8-0.
The other doubles team of Brienza and Aebischer went 0-1 on the Thursday as they fell in the 'B' Doubles quarterfinals to Dallas Baptist's duo of Carbo and Sarah Stewart, 8-3. Brienza/Aebischer will face Lubbock Christian's duo of Gracie Wood and Maya Adler in the 'B' Doubles Consolation semifinals on Friday at 3 p.m. The championship match is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Friday.
Day two of the ITA Regional kicks off Friday morning at 8 a.m.
Singles
Main Draw – Round of 64
Annika Andersson-Gomez (TAMUK) def. Marta Garcia (CSUP), 6-2, 6-0
Carolina Williams (UT-Tyler) def. Margot Aebischer (CSUP), 6-0, 6-0
Main Draw – Consolation Round of 32
Emily Buchanan (DBU) def. Aebischer, 6-2, 6-1
Garcia (CSUP) def. Kajsa Gedlitschka (WMNU), 6-1, 6-1
Main Draw – Consolation Round 16
Garcia vs. Micaela McSpadden (MSU), 8 a.m. Friday
'B' Draw – Round of 16
Mariangel Nunez (CSUP) def. Hannah Quick (LCU), 4-6, 6-3, 10-5
Valentina Brienza (CSUP) def. Taylor Nichols (LCU), 6-4, 6-4
'B' Draw – Quarterfinals
Brienza vs. Carbo (DBU), 8 a.m. – Friday
Nunez vs. Montserrat Salazar (UTPB), 9 a.m. Friday
Doubles
Main Draw – Round of 32
Syndey Williams/Anda Ghinga (MSU) def. Garcia/Nunez (CSUP), 8-1
Main Draw – Consolation Round of 16
Caini Wang/Kajsa Gedlitschka (WNMU) def. Garcia/Nunez (CSUP), 8-0
'B' Bracket Quarterfinals – Round of 16
Elise Carbo/Sarah Stewart (DBU) def. Brienza/Aebischer (CSUP), 8-3
'B' Bracket Consolation - Semifinals
Brienza/Aebischer vs. Gracie Wood/Maya Adler (LCU), 3 p.m. Friday
