Ito, Marzal Split Matches in Tulsa
By Alex Schwartz
HurricaneSports.com
TULSA, Okla. – Each of the University of Miami women’s tennis teams competitors went 1-1 Saturday in the ITA Women’s All-American Championships singles pre-qualifying draw.
Senior Yuna Ito and sophomore Lucia Marzal both made their debuts at the prestigious tournament, winning their first outings and dropping the second at the LaFortune Tennis Center.
“What a team always needs is a squad full of fighters and purposeful athletes every day they step onto the court,” Miami associate head coach Laura Vallverdu said. “If a day goes by and one team member is not showing up that way, then [that person is] putting herself before the team. That, to me, is a rough day at the office.”
In the first round of play, Marzal picked up a decisive 6-3, 6-3 victory over Katarina Kopcalic of Washington. In a match delayed by weather, No. 13-seeded Ito then tallied a comeback win against Houston’s Mimi Kendall-Woseley, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1.
Marzal won her opening set in round two versus Kansas’ Sonia Smagina, ranked No. 119 and seeded No. 10, but dropped a three-set decision, 6-4, 3-6, 1-6. To cap the day, Ito fell to Alexandra Mikhailuk of Mississippi State, 0-6, 0-6.
Both Marzal and Ito are now done with competition in Tulsa, but senior Estela Perez-Somarriba and sophomore Daevenia Achong will begin play Monday in qualifying action. The duo, ranked No. 33, will compete in doubles together and Achong, ranked No. 80, will play singles and seek to join second-ranked Perez-Somarriba in the main draw.
“Looking forward to Daevenia and Estela getting here and continuing to represent Miami, playing hard for our team and embracing the long race,” Vallverdu said.
Draws and schedules for the ITA Women’s All-American Championships qualifying draws are still to be determined. For more information on the tournament, including the full list of selections, click HERE.
To keep up with the University of Miami women’s tennis team on social media, follow @CanesWTennis on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
SATURDAY RESULTS
Singles Pre-Qualifying Draw – First Round
Lucia Marzal (UM) def. Katarina Kopcalic (UW), 6-3, 6-3
[13] Yuna Ito (UM) def. Mimi Kendall-Woseley (UH), 3-6, 6-4, 6-1
Singles Pre-Qualifying Draw – Second Round
No. 119 [10] Sofia Smagina (KU) def. Lucia Marzal (UM), 4-6, 6-3, 6-1
Alexandra Mikhailuk (MSST) def. [13] Yuna Ito (UM), 6-0, 6-0
