The women’s tennis team competed in the USTA/ITA Southeast Regionals that started last Thursday and ended Monday in Athens, Georgia at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
Senior Stephanie Wagner, the sixth ranked player in the nation and third highest ranked player in the tournament, made it all the way to the singles championship of the tournament. However, she lost the match in three sets to University of Georgia’s junior Caroline Brinson. Brinson went up early in the first set, but Wagner was able to fight her way back, winning the set 7-6. The match went downhill from there for Wagner, losing the second set 6-0 and the third set 6-4.
Despite finishing as the runner up in the tournament, Wagner can still possibly be awarded an at-large spot in the November USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships (NIIC). Sophomore Sinead Lohan has already earned a position in the NIIC after reaching the championship of the Riviera/ITA Women’s All-American Championships.
“We are proud of her weekend and the experiences [she learned]. She has to keep working towards her goals relentlessly,” Associate Head Coach Laura Vallverdu said of Wagner to HurricaneSports.com.
Sophomore Yolimar Ogando was not able to make it as far as Wagner in the tournament, but she still reached an impressive leg of the tournament with an appearance in the quarterfinals. Ogando was forced to forfeit due to injury in the second set of the match. The loss was Ogando’s first of the season, moving her current record to an impressive 14-1. Before her injury, Ogando had a strong showing in the tournament, defeating nationally ranked top 25 opponents for the first time this season.
Despite the impressive play from singles players, no Hurricanes’ doubles duo was able to advance past the round of 16. The most closely contested doubles match in the round of 16 was the contest between the Canes duo of Lohan and freshman Ana Madcur. They faced Georgia’s Silvia Garcia and Kennedy Shaffer. The match was a thriller and came down to the very end, resulting in a Bulldogs victory, 9-8.
The Canes next play in the National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships Nov. 12-15 in New York.