Over the weekend of Sept. 21-23, members of the Slippery Rock University tennis team traveled to Eastern Pennsylvania to take part in the ITA Regional Championships at Millersville University.
The trip was highlighted by Viola Lugmayr and Lois Page winning the championship of the doubles tournament. Several other members of the team also had strong showings in the singles tournaments.
Lugmayr and Page were able to earn a first round bye. In the second round of the competition, they knocked off Mercyhurst’s Janice Theodora and Athina Tsagkaraki (8-2). In their quarterfinals match, the pair bested IUP’s Thais Androtti and Maria Mangrner (8-3).
The pair were tested in their next two matches as they narrowly defeated Kierstin Hensley and Chante Malo of West Virginia State in the semifinals (8-7). Their final matchup set them against Charleston’s Haarini Balakrishnan and Katie Swan. Lugmayr and Page rose to the occasion as they bested their opponents (6-4, 6-4) and went on to claim the Championship Doubles title.
With their win, Lugmayr and Page clinched an automatic bid to the ITA Cup, which will be held October 17-20 in Rome, Georgia.
Lois Page also competed in the Championship Singles bracket. She knocked off Androtti of IUP (6-2, 6-3) and Swann of UC (6-2, 6-3). Page was then bested by Salem’s Karolina Glowinska (6-0, 7-6) in the third round of the competition.
Junior Amy Varckette and freshman Pia Bruckmayer claimed victories in the B-Singles bracket and won a match as a pair in the B-Doubles tournament.
Varckette was able to amass several wins in the B-Singles bracket by knocking off Fairmont State’s Janel Kittle (6-0, 6-0), Emelina Alvarez of Charleston (6-0, 6-4), WLU’s Luisa Agudelo (6-1, 6-1), and Bluefield State’s Arias (6-2, 6-2). She was eventually bested by Kaligotla of Salem (6-2, 6-3) in the semifinals.
Bruckmayer also displayed an impressive showing in her young collegiate career. She was able to make it the whole way to the finals of the B-Singles tournament by besting West Virginia State’s Sydney Miller (6-1, 6-1) Milica Knezavic of Bluefield State (6-3, 6-0), and Charleston’s Mikenzie Hindenlang (7-6, 6-1). She won by way of retirement against UC’s Mathilde Simon in the semifinals. Bruckmayer was then narrowly defeated by Shivani Kaligotla of Salem (6-2, 4-6, 10-6) in a tough final’s matchup.
Lauren Fadden won a match in the B-Singles tournament against West Liberty’s Olsen (6-1, 6-2) before being narrowly bested by Salem’s Shivani Kaligotla (6-1 2-6 10-6).
Lacey Cohen had a strong showing in the Championship Singles tournament advancing all the way to the semifinals with wins over Laura Dunarova of IUP (6-3, 6-0), Charleston’s Charlotte Ziegler (6-1, 6-2) and West Liberty’s Nathalia Valencia (6-2, 6-1). In the semifinals she was defeated by Salem’s Ana Kunic (6-2, 6-1).
Members of the Rock Tennis team were in action again on Saturday, Sept. 28-30 at the IUP Invitational.
